The Malian junta doesn't agree with the sanctions that West Africa has put on Guinea.
The military government in Mali has broken ties with the sanctions that the Community of West African States put on Guinea, which is also run by the military (ECOWAS).
Mali and Guinea, which are both part of ECOWAS, have been kicked out of the group's decision-making bodies in order to approve of the military's takeover of power and continued rule in those countries.
In Mali, this happened in August 2020, and in Guinea, it happened in September 2021.
In addition to suspending the decision-making bodies that were already in place, an ECOWAS summit held on September 22 without Guinean or Malian participation decided that the organization's financial institutions would stop all aid to Guinea and all financial transactions with the country.
Individual sanctions have also been put on a number of well-known people.
In a statement posted on social networks Wednesday night, the Malian government said it was "outraged" by these actions against Guinea.
In a show of "unwavering solidarity" with the Guineans, the Malian government "decides to disassociate itself from all illegal, inhumane, and illegitimate sanctions taken against the sister republic of Guinea and will not follow up on them."
It will take steps to help Guinea and counter the effects of the sanctions "if necessary."
Three West African heads of state sent by ECOWAS to try to solve a diplomatic crisis with another neighbor, Côte d'Ivoire, will visit Mali on Thursday. The communiqué was released before their trip.
From January to July, ECOWAS put a strict trade and financial embargo on Mali. This was done to stop the military from staying in power for up to five more years. Since then, the Colonel Assimi Goita-led junta has agreed to hold elections in February 2024 after being pressured, and ECOWAS has lifted the embargo.
But there are still sanctions against each member of the Malian junta.
Guinea was one of the few countries that kept its borders open and stood with Mali during the January sanctions.
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, the leader of the junta in Guinea, was welcomed by his Malian counterpart with full honors on September 22, the day of the ECOWAS summit. He was given the Grand Cross of the National Order of Mali, which is a very high honor.