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Business Insider
7 days ago
- 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.
Techday NZ
15-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Morphisec launches KICKSTART Channel Program to boost cyber defence
Morphisec has announced the launch of its KICKSTART Channel Program aimed at empowering channel partners with resources to strengthen ransomware prevention and exposure management capabilities. The initiative introduces a partnership framework for Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs), Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Distributors, Systems Integrators, Referral Partners, and Technology Partners. Morphisec has structured the KICKSTART Channel Program to provide world-class support, incentives, and direct access to its Anti-Ransomware Assurance Suite. A central component of the programme is Morphisec's Ransomware-Free Guarantee, now available to channel partners. This guarantee offers customers a refund if a ransomware breach occurs after purchasing the Anti-Ransomware Assurance Suite, which is intended to enhance transparency and boost confidence among both partners and their customers. Ron Reinfeld, Chief Executive Officer of Morphisec, commented, "In today's threat environment, security service providers and their customers can no longer afford to rely solely on detection and response — prevention must be a core pillar. With the expansion of our Channel Program, we are deepening our commitment to continued innovation and also making industry-leading protection accessible to the organizations that need it most. We're proud to equip our partners with proven solutions that stop ransomware in its tracks and redefine the future of cybersecurity." The programme's expansion coincides with the appointment of two channel sales leaders: Avery Kraft has been named Director of Global MSSP Sales, following roles at Rapid7, Dimension Data, and Cisco; William Stevens assumes the role of Director of Global VAR Sales, having previously worked at Deepwatch, Cybersixgill, and XM Cyber. Avery Kraft said, "Our MSSP partners are seeking ways to stay ahead of an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape while maximising operational efficiency. Morphisec's prevention-first technology and Ransomware Protection as a Service (RPaaS) empowers MSSPs to offer customers truly differentiated protection that goes beyond traditional endpoint defences — and I couldn't be more excited to help our partners as we pivot to a 100% channel-first company." William Stevens added, "With the cybersecurity channel more competitive than ever, partners need solutions that are both disruptive and operationally simple. Morphisec delivers exactly that: proven prevention, a low-complexity deployment model and high-margin opportunities. Joining Morphisec allows me to help partners thrive while reshaping endpoint protection for their customers." The KICKSTART Channel Program outlines specific benefits for different types of partners. For MSSPs and Managed Service Providers (MSPs), the programme offers high margins, low competition, scalable endpoint protection (including defences powered by Automated Moving Target Defense (AMTD)), flexible billing, and comprehensive onboarding support. For VARs, Morphisec provides access to guaranteed margins, co-marketing funds, local market development opportunities, and a partner portal with sales enablement, certification tracks, and marketing resources. Distributors are offered flexible billing terms to optimise cash flow, commitment-based incentives, and technical and go-to-market support. Morphisec's focus on prevention-first security comes as the industry faces growing demands for proactive threat mitigation, with increasing sophistication of artificial intelligence-driven attacks and a rise in fileless and zero-day threats. The company stated that traditional detection and response solutions are often struggling to keep pace with these more advanced attacks. "Innovation without accessibility is meaningless," said Ron Reinfeld. "Through the Channel Program, Morphisec is not only continuing to lead with innovation but making sure the benefits of our groundbreaking protection reach the cybersecurity community at large, and the security service partners organizations depend on." Morphisec referenced its work with Omega Systems, a managed security services provider that has integrated Morphisec's AMTD technology into its endpoint security stack. Ben Tercha, Chief Operating Officer of Omega Systems, stated, "Sophisticated threats like fileless and in-memory attacks are increasingly evading traditional EDR defences. By incorporating Morphisec's Automated Moving Target Defense technology into our endpoint security stack, we're able to neutralise these threats at the source. This proactive, prevention-first model gives our customers a critical advantage — securing their environments against attacks that legacy solutions often miss." The partner ecosystem for Morphisec now includes organisations such as SHI, Consortium, and GuidePoint Security. The company sees the expansion of its Channel Program as a step towards strengthening cyber defences for a broad range of customers facing today's ransomware and cyberattack threats.
