Mali seeks deeper security ties with Türkiye as minister praises support

Mali aims to deepen cooperation with Türkiye in internal security and develop new partnerships, Interior Security and Civil Protection Minister Daoud Aly Mohammedine said, praising Ankara for continuing to support Mali despite pressure.

Speaking to the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency during the BAMEX 2026 Defense and Security Fair, organized by Mali’s Defense Ministry and Turkish company The Peak Defense, Mohammedine said the two countries maintain strategic-level cooperation.

“Türkiye is a country that helps us, supports us and respects our sovereignty and our choices,” he said. “Türkiye has never left us alone despite the pressure.”

Mali Minister of Security and Civil Protection Major General Daoud Aly Mohammedine (2nd L), Chief of General Staff of the Malian Armed Forces Major General Elisee Jean Dao (3rd R), and BAMEX Board Chairman and The Peak Defense General Manager Harun Sarac (R4th R) attend the closing ceremony of the BAMEX 2026 exhibition in Bamako, Mali, on Nov. 13, 2026. (AA Photo)

New security partnerships under discussion

Mohammedine said he discussed opportunities for security cooperation with Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Bilal Durdali and conveyed Mali’s expectations for possible partnerships with Türkiye’s Interior Ministry.

He said defense and internal security could no longer be treated separately because the country’s security institutions face common objectives and threats.

“Today, we cannot separate defense from security because our goal and our efforts are shared,” Mohammedine said. “Everything we do, we do together.”

He also announced that he would soon make an official visit to Türkiye at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, as work continues on establishing new partnerships in internal security.

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Mohammedine said police, civil protection units and the armed forces face similar threats in Mali’s counterterrorism operations.

“Whether police, civil protection units or armed forces, we are all operating in the field as part of the fight against terrorism,” he said. “The terrorist threat targets all of us.”

He said the weapons and protective equipment needs of the different security forces largely overlap.

Mohammedine added that he was impressed by the quality of weapons, ballistic vests, helmets and other protective equipment displayed at the fair, saying the products could meet the needs of Mali’s security forces.

November 14, 2026 11:43 AM GMT+03:00