(Ecofin Agency) - The security situation in Mali remains tense, and the country is looking for solutions to offset France’s withdrawal. Earlier this week, negotiations with jihadist groups in the country were announced, but the government has now denied the information.

Mali says it has not instructed anyone to negotiate with leaders of armed terrorist groups, denying what was revealed earlier this week by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The denial was made public in a press release issued yesterday by the Prime Minister's Office.

The government said it had taken good note of "the recommendations made during the Inclusive National Dialog (DNI) and the Conference of National Understanding for negotiations conducive to the stability of Mali. It also praised the goodwill of those who have decided to conduct talks on their own. However, the statement said that the Malian government reserves the right to inform the Malian people when discussions are held with Islamist forces in the country.

"When the government of the Republic of Mali deems it appropriate to open negotiations with armed groups of any kind, the Malian people will be informed through the appropriate channels," the note said. Earlier this week, the Ministry of Religious Affairs reported that the government had expressed a desire to discuss with "all Malian radical groups," including those of Iyad Ag Ghali and Amadou Koufa. The ministry spokesman Khalil Camara said the Malian High Islamic Council (HCI) was mandated to do so.

In June, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his stance against possible negotiations with terrorists. "We cannot carry out joint operations with a government that negotiates with groups that shoot our children," he said. But relations between the two countries quickly deteriorated, and Mali continued to seek other solutions to its problem.

Mali has been facing terrorism since 2013. At first, only the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb group was active in the region but other groups such as the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel, the Macina Katiba, and the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims have emerged, making the security situation even worse.

Jean-Marc Gogbeu (intern)