Vol 66 No 25 | MALITURKEY Goïta’s junta goes drone shopping 19th December 2025 Lucrative contracts with a Turkish arms dealer point to graft and power struggles in Bamako, even as jihadists edge closer Apart from keeping itself in power by bartering resources, it returned three tonnes of gold after resolving a two-year dispute with Canada’s Barrick gold this month, the Bamako...
Vol 66 No 21 | MALI Jihadists tighten their stranglehold 24th October 2025 With critical gold mines in the Kayes region already under threat, the militants are now targeting critical commercial axes After assaulting the main western trade corridor to Bamako from Dakar last month, jihadist fighters have now extended their campaign to the key southern artery from Abidjan as...
Vol 66 No 18 | BURKINA FASOMALINIGERRUSSIA Putin’s gambit in the Sahel as France leaves the stage 3rd September 2025 Moscow courts the three juntas with anti-western rhetoric and promises of gold refineries and nuclear power but is struggling to counter insurgents On 14 August, the defence ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – Generals Sadio Camara, Célestin Simporé and Salifou Modi – were in Moscow for talks with...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 16 | MALI HRW demands African Union investigation into Wagner executions 28th July 2025 Rights group claims Russian mercenaries worked with Malian army on herder killings Over 80 Fulani herders have disappeared and at least a dozen have been executed by the Malian army and Wagner group, the Russian mercenary outfit, according to a... READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 12 | MALI Jihadists hit harder as junta loses focus 13th June 2025 A surge in attacks on army bases leaves security forces overstretched and civilians more vulnerable Grim casualty figures from recent insurgent attacks on army garrisons across central and northern Mali have exposed the cost of junta leader, General Assimi Goïta’s decision to reject...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 10 | MALI After extending General Goïta’s term until 2030, the junta bans protests 12th May 2025 In line with the juntas in Niger and Burkina Faso, Mali’s ruling soldiers are shutting civilian politics and extending their tenure Facing public opposition to General Assimi Goïta’s plans to stay in power until 2030, his military junta has suspended all political activities across the country ahead of protests... READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 9 | BURKINA FASOMALINIGER The juntas join the gold rush 2nd May 2025 On 23 April, Niger advanced its mineral development by partnering with Emirati firm Suvarna Royal Gold Trading LLC. The deal, formalised in Niamey, establishes Royal Gold Niger SA,...
Vol 66 No 6 | BURKINA FASOMALINIGER Security tops the Ecowas agenda 21st March 2025 Above all, civilian governments in the regional bloc want cooperation with the military leaders against jihadist insurgents Through his visits to the military rulers of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in the week ending 14 March, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama may have helped thaw...
Vol 66 No 3 | BURKINA FASOMALINIGERRUSSIA Sahel-exit tests western miners and Russia’s military muscle 29th January 2025 Everybody is losing as the Sahelian juntas break with the Ecowas bloc – except for the jihadi militias The crowds in Bamako, Ouagadougou and Niamey celebrating their countries’ break with the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) on 29 January belie the...
Vol 66 No 2 | BURKINA FASOMALINIGERMINING Sahel’s juntas challenge western miners in geopolitical gold rush 17th January 2025 The fight over one of the world’s biggest gold mines points to the changing balance of power in the region The stand-off between General Assimi Goïta’s military regime and Canada’s Barrick Gold has reached a critical point with the mining conglomerate suspending work at the Loulou-Gounkoto complex after...