The North Africa Journal – Qatar has demonstrated its diplomatic skills in the Middle East crisis but it has also been quietly active in other regions, such as helping reduce tensions between Mali and Algeria. To recall, the Malian government expressed its anger at Algeria after its president invited and met with a high-profile religious cleric, Imam Mahmoud Dicko, known for having positions that contradict the junta’s policies. While tolerated in Bamako given his broad public appeal in the conservative movement, Imam Dicko is generally seen by the junta as a political opponent.

Also Algeria has had strong ties with the ethnic Touaregs in northern Mali, who are currently at war with the central government. Algeria has been in permanent contact with the Touaregs, given that it also has a sizeable Touareg population in the south and a lengthy border with Mali.

As a result of Qatar’s mediation, Algeria’s Ambassador to Mali returned to Bamako last week, a move likely to be reciprocated by Mali in the days to come.

Qatar’s effort to ease tension between the two neighbors is largely interpreted as a way to prevent the UAE, Qatar’s competitor, from taking advantage of the incident to up its influence in the Sahel.