Northern Nigerian Breaking News

North Korea to build munition factory in Bamako 

By Jacob Ajakaiye

The West African State of Mali, currently suspended by AU, and the Sub-regional body, ECOWAS, over military involvement in the governance of the country, has entered into a bilateral agreement with North Korea, to establish an ammunition factory in the country.

The agreement for the project which is to be sited in the vicinity of the town of Dialakorobougou, 20 kilometres outside Bamako, was signed by the Malian junta, and the representatives of the North Korean government, recently.

Information revealed that the building of the ammunition factory is being coordinated by Mr An Se-ho, who is the first secretary of the Embassy of North Korea, in the neighbouring state of Guinea.

A Se Ho has been identified as the principal link between the North Korean team involved in the project.

elsamad new

The administrative procedures for the building of the project were concluded in the summer of 2022, when the North Korean delegation led by An Se-ho, met with the officials of the Malian Ministry of Defence, in Bamako.

During the meeting, the Korean delegation was received by Abdoulaye Maiga, Malian Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization.

The building of the ammunition factory which is being executed under the cover of a proposal for the renovation of ‘Bamako’s Palace of Culture’ by North Korea, is yet to be fully disclosed to the Malian people.

Read Also:NSCIA urges Nigerians to learn from Sudan crisis

The North Korean delegation, including that country`s ambassador to Guinea, who was received by Brigadier General Sidiki Samak, Secretary General of the Malian Ministry of Defense, and other senior state officials, also visited Bamako, on 14 September 2022, in respect of the project.

The delegation, and the Malian regime officials, are believed finally signed the agreement for the execution of the project at Dialakorobougou town, a settlement that is partly inhabited, in November 2022.

With the agreement signed, the Malian military government is planning to relocate and compensate the inhabitances of land that will be housing the project.

This development is coming up on the heels of the international sanctions that North Korea, the country, with which Mali is partnering for the project, is serving over discreet arms trafficking,  the signing of an agreement between the country, and Mali could trigger a new wave of sanctions on the country.

Ajakaiye, a media professional and public analyst writes from Kano, Nigeria.

Comments are closed.