Latest news with #AbdoulayeDiop
Business Insider
23-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
U.S. officials visit Mali as junta eyes economic and security ties
Junta-led Mali is courting U.S. investment and backing in its fight against Islamist insurgents, as it works to strengthen a regional bloc of military-led governments in West Africa. Mali's junta government is seeking U.S. support in combating Islamist insurgents and fostering economic cooperation. U.S. officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary William Stevens, met with Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop in Bamako to discuss these matters. Mali aims to strengthen ties within a regional bloc of military-led governments, which face diminished U.S. security partnerships. Junta-led Mali is courting U.S. investment and backing in its fight against Islamist insurgents, as it works to strengthen a regional bloc of military-led governments in West Africa. On Monday, U.S. officials met with Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop in Bamako. The delegation was led by William Stevens, the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa, Bloomberg reported. 'We discussed the fight against armed terrorist groups supported by foreign state sponsors,' Diop said. Other topics discussed included the potential for deeper economic cooperation, particularly through increased American private investment in Mali, as well as opportunities made possible by what officials described as improvements in the country's business climate. The meeting, at least the second between U.S. and Malian officials this month, shows Washington's attempt to re-engage in a region where its security presence has significantly diminished. Last year, the U.S. withdrew troops from Chad after being asked to vacate a military base, and also shut down a drone facility in neighbouring Niger. Alliance shift Mali, Chad, and Niger form part of a corridor of military-led governments stretching from Guinea on the Atlantic coast to Sudan on the Red Sea. As U.S. security partnerships in these countries have unravelled, many have pivoted toward alternative alliances, most notably with Russia. On the security front, Russian mercenary forces have become key backers of Mali's transitional government, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, following the exit of French and U.N. troops who had supported counter-insurgency operations in the country for more than a decade. Russia's growing influence also extends to the economic sphere. Earlier this month, construction began on a new Russian-backed gold refinery near Bamako's international airport. Spanning five hectares, the facility will be capable of processing up to 200 metric tons of gold annually, which is four times Mali's current capacity of approximately 50 tons.
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Mali Junta Courts US Business, Security Ties in Volatile Region
Mali's ruling junta is courting US investment and support for the fight against Islamist insurgents as it seeks to solidify a regional alliance of military-led West African states. US officials visited the country on Monday for talks with Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop. The American delegation included US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa William Stevens.
TimesLIVE
29-04-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Landlocked Burkina, Mali, Niger back sea access through Morocco
Foreign ministers of military-ruled Sahel states of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger said on Monday they endorse an initiative offering them access to global trade through Morocco's Atlantic ports, Morocco's state news agency reported. The foreign ministers expressed their countries' position during a meeting with Morocco's King Mohammed VI in Rabat, it said. The West African nations, run by juntas that have taken power in coups in recent years, withdrew from the regional grouping Ecowas last year and formed an alliance known as the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). Morocco, a major investor in West Africa's financial and agricultural sectors, announced its trade access initiative in November 2023, after Ecowas imposed trade restrictions on the three states. The initiative is conducive to "diversifying our access to the sea", Mali's foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop told state media.
Business Insider
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Landlocked Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger turn to Morocco for trade lifeline
The announcement was made on Monday during a meeting with King Mohammed VI in Rabat, according to the Moroccan state news agency. The three landlocked countries, currently ruled by military juntas following recent coups, withdrew from the ECOWAS region in 2024 and have since sought alternative partnerships to circumvent trade restrictions and diplomatic isolation. Since the formation of the AES alliance, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have distanced themselves from their traditional Western partners, expelled French forces, and deepened military cooperation with Russia. Morocco's offer represents a vital lifeline for the AES, giving it potential access to global markets while reducing its dependence on ECOWAS border states such as Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. The Moroccan initiative, first announced in November 2023, provides access to Morocco's Atlantic ports to facilitate trade for the AES bloc. The project is seen as a strategic move by Morocco to strengthen its regional influence while promoting economic development in the Sahel region. "This initiative contributes to diversifying our access to the sea," Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told local media. The Moroccan news agency described the meeting in Rabat as part of the kingdom's "strong and long-standing relations with the three brotherly countries of the Sahel Alliance." The support comes at a time of rising tensions between the AES bloc and Algeria, Morocco's regional rival. Morocco has invested heavily in the region, particularly in agriculture and banking, and is currently building a $1 billion port in Dakhla, within the disputed Western Sahara territory, to develop its maritime infrastructure and assert control. In December, Morocco played a key diplomatic role in brokering the release of four French citizens imprisoned in Burkina Faso. This came shortly after France recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, further aligning Rabat with the Sahel's emerging leadership.
Reuters
28-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Landlocked Burkina, Mali, Niger back sea access through Morocco
RABAT, April 28 (Reuters) - Foreign ministers of military-ruled Sahel states of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger said on Monday they endorse an initiative offering them access to global trade through Morocco's Atlantic ports, Morocco's state news agency reported. The foreign ministers expressed their countries' position during a meeting with Morocco's King Mohammed VI in Rabat, it said. The West African nations, run by juntas that have taken power in coups in recent years, withdrew from the regional grouping ECOWAS last year and formed an alliance known as the Confederation of Sahel States (AES). Morocco, a major investor in West Africa's financial and agricultural sectors, announced its trade access initiative in November 2023, after ECOWAS imposed trade restrictions on the three states. The initiative is conducive to "diversifying our access to the sea," Mali's foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop told state media. The meeting "is part of the strong and longstanding relations of the Kingdom with the three brotherly countries of the Alliance of Sahel States," Morocco's news agency said. The visit takes place as relations between the AES and Algeria, Morocco's regional rival, deteriorate. Algeria has cut ties with Morocco and backs the Polisario Front which seeks an independent state in Western Sahara, a territory Morocco considers its own and where it is building a port worth $1 billion. The new AES grouping expelled French and other Western forces and turned towards Russia for military support. In December, Morocco mediated the release of four French spies held in Burkina Faso, five months after Paris recognised Rabat's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
