Whilst meeting with civil society organisations on 16 September, Mali's transitional Prime Minister, Choguel Maïga, alluded to a potential millitary partnership between his country and the Russian company Wagner, raising French concerns that potential Russian involvement would compromise their ongoing millitary operations in the country. Maïga says Mali must broaden "broaden our potential for cooperation to bolster our national defence" in the face of international partners who "altered their policy" or "have decided to leave Mali to withdraw to other countries". IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES