Foreign relations of Mali

File:Visa Mali.jpg

A Malian Visa

Following independence in 1960, Mali initially followed a socialist path and was aligned ideologically with the communist bloc. Mali's foreign policy orientation became increasingly pragmatic and pro-Western over time. Since the institution of a democratic form of government in 1992, Mali's relations with the West in general and the United States in particular have improved significantly. U.S.-Malian relations are described by the U.S. Department of State as "excellent and expanding," especially given Mali's recent record of democratic stability in the volatile area of West Africa and its avowed support of the war on terrorism. Mali is reported to be one of the largest recipients of U.S. aid in Africa.

Mali is active in regional organizations such as the African Union (AU). Working to control and resolve regional conflicts, such as in Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, is one of Mali's major foreign policy goals. Mali feels threatened by the potential for the spillover of conflicts in neighboring states, and relations with those neighbors are often uneasy. General insecurity along borders in the north, including cross-border banditry and terrorism, remain troubling issues in regional regions.

Although Azawad, a region spanning the expansive north of Mali, was proclaimed independent in April 2012 by Tuareg rebels, Mali has not recognised the de facto state. Britain has closed its embassy; ECOWAS has declared an embargo against Mali, aiming to squeeze out Malian oil supplies; closed Mali's assets in the ECOWAS regional bank and has prepared a potential intervention force of 3,000 troops. France has declared it will assist in a potential intervention.

Multilateral membership

Mali is a member of the United Nations (and many of its specialized agencies), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). It also belongs to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU); Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); Non-Aligned Movement (NAM); an associate member of the European Community (EC); and African Development Bank (ADB).

Mali is active in regional organizations. It participates in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic Monetary Union (UEMOA) for regional economic integration; Liptako–Gourma Authority, which seeks to develop the contiguous areas of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso; the Niger River Commission; the Permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel (CILSS); and the Senegal River Valley Development Organization (OMVS).

Historically, Mali has used these organizations to leverage the promotion of regional peacekeeping efforts. One of the largest issues facing the country is security threats from extremist groups and consequential political unrest. One of the most prominent examples of this is Mali's former membership the G5 Sahel with the fellow member states Burkina Faso (formerly), Chad, Mauritania, and Niger (formerly). The Sahel was originally formed on 16 February 2014, with the main objective of encouraging security and development. This partnership is historically significant due to the group's shared colonizer, France. In its first year of existence, the organization formed a legal framework for strategic intervention and a secretariat located in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The framework was titled the Development and Security Strategy (SDS). In 2017, the G5 Sahel Joint Force was created and funded through the Priority Investment Program (PIP), aiming to reduce violence and create more stability in the region. In a December 2018 coordination conference, $2.6 billion was pledged from foreign nations including the United States, European Union, Saudi Arabia, and China. American and French financial support is suspected to be, in part, a result of their consequentially lowered troop commitment in the region. This military collective targets organized crime and religious extremists specifically with cross-border operations. In addition to military-centered approaches, Mali and Niger have implemented Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration, or DDR, programs while Mauritania and Burkina Faso have not. DDR is an approach that removes weapons, breaks up crime organizations, and reintegrates combatants into civilian life or state-sanctioned armed forces. Although more costly and time-intensive, DDR has proven to be more sustainable than other stabilization approaches over time. The G5 Sahel has been weakening in the most recent years, with many forces from the European Union pulling their troops to concentrate their efforts on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, to compensate, the Sahel member states have reported on plans to expand the size of their force from six to fourteen battalions. Biannual reports from the Sahel have revealed that the efforts have become increasingly dire with high humanitarian needs and large terrorist activity with large resource and land occupation. This eventually lead to its withdrawal on 15 May 2022.

File:Malick Diaw and Vyacheslav Volodin (2023-03-19).jpg

Representatives of Mali and Russia at the 2nd International Parliamentary Conference "Russia-Africa" in Moscow, 19 March 2023

As seen with the G5-Sahel, Mali has not been a particularly active or compliant member of these organizations as a result of their ongoing political unrest. Despite some early successful peacekeeping initiatives by ECOWAS and the AU, their most recent joint policies are facing challenges of limited institutional capacity, low enforcement, and inexplicit language surrounding its implementation. ECOWAS was originally founded to promote economic development across its 15 West African member states, but also works to promote political institutions and stability. Recently, it promised to end the unconstitutional takeover of political power in member states, but Mali has since developed new policies to distance themselves from the organization and limit its reach.

The UN has also attempted many peacekeeping missions focusing on political unrest, economic objectives, and women's rights throughout Mali's history. The most notable effort began with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in 2013. In 2022, Mali restricted United Nations peacekeeping operations through their security council and, in June 2023, asked for them to be removed. Although this program is being dissolved, some UN presence will remain in Mali. This effort kept about 15,000 soldiers and police personnel in Mali throughout the project's decade, but has recently been threatened by nearby territorial conflicts. It is also rumored that this removal may be the result of some strategic differences. Since the AU's creation in 2002, there have been some difficulties aligning it with the UN. Generally, the AU prioritizes short-term solutions over long-term, which is opposite to the UN. This disagreement has contributed to arguments about jurisdiction and the correct approach to security efforts.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Mali maintains diplomatic relations with:

File:Diplomatic relations of Mali.svg
#	Country	Date
1	France	Template:Dts
2	Germany	Template:Dts
3	United States	Template:Dts
4	Ghana	Template:Dts
5	Liberia	Template:Dts
6	Russia	Template:Dts
7	Czech Republic	Template:Dts
8	Bulgaria	Template:Dts
9	China	Template:Dts
10	Vietnam	Template:Dts
11	Serbia	Template:Dts
—	Israel (suspended)	Template:Dts
12	Romania	Template:Dts
13	Cuba	Template:Dts
14	Egypt	Template:Dts
15	Morocco	Template:Dts
16	Mongolia	Template:Dts
17	Guinea	Template:Dts
18	Hungary	Template:Dts
19	United Kingdom	Template:Dts
20	Burkina Faso	Template:Dts
21	Poland	Template:Dts
22	Switzerland	Template:Dts
23	North Korea	Template:Dts
24	Lebanon	Template:Dts
25	Democratic Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
26	Japan	Template:Dts
27	Brazil	Template:Dts
28	India	Template:Dts
29	Ivory Coast	Template:Dts
30	Italy	Template:Dts
31	Niger	Template:Dts
32	Nigeria	Template:Dts
33	Sudan	Template:Dts
34	Haiti	Template:Dts
35	Cameroon	Template:Dts
36	Saudi Arabia	Template:Dts
37	Sierra Leone	Template:Dts
38	Canada	Template:Dts
39	Republic of the Congo	Template:Dts
40	Turkey	Template:Dts
41	Senegal	Template:Dts
42	Kuwait	Template:Dts
43	Algeria	Template:Dts
44	Belgium	Template:Dts
45	Chile	Template:Dts
46	Gabon	Template:Dts
47	Mauritania	Template:Dts
48	Pakistan	Template:Dts
49	Tunisia	Template:Dts
50	Ethiopia	Template:Dts
51	Netherlands	Template:Dts
52	Spain	Template:Dts
53	Argentina	Template:Dts
54	Burundi	Template:Dts
55	Kenya	Template:Dts
56	Uganda	Template:Dts
57	Tanzania	Template:Dts
58	Syria	Template:Dts
59	Sweden	Template:Dts
60	Albania	Template:Dts
61	Indonesia	Template:Dts
62	Benin	Template:Dts
63	Luxembourg	Template:Dts
64	Chad	Template:Dts
65	Central African Republic	Template:Dts
66	Togo	Template:Dts
67	Austria	Template:Dts
68	Gambia	Template:Dts
69	Libya	Template:Dts
70	Denmark	Template:Dts
71	Fiji	Template:Dts
72	Iran	Template:Dts
73	Cambodia	Template:Dts
74	Portugal	Template:Dts
75	Venezuela	Template:Dts
76	Greece	Template:Dts
77	Laos	Template:Dts
78	Mexico	Template:Dts
79	Bahrain	Template:Dts
80	Norway	Template:Dts
81	Qatar	Template:Dts
82	Oman	Template:Dts
83	Yemen	Template:Dts
—	Holy See	Template:Dts
84	Cape Verde	Template:Dts
85	Somalia	Template:Dts
86	Iraq	Template:Dts
87	Maldives	Template:Dts
88	Malta	Template:Dts
89	Guinea-Bissau	Template:Dts
90	United Arab Emirates	Template:Dts
91	Thailand	Template:Dts
92	Bangladesh	Template:Dts
93	Malaysia	Template:Dts
94	New Zealand	Template:Dts
95	Australia	Template:Dts
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	Template:Dts
96	Rwanda	Template:Dts
97	Zambia	Template:Dts
98	Jordan	Template:Dts
99	Colombia	Template:Dts
100	Singapore	Template:Dts
—	Template:Country data State of Palestine	Template:Dts
101	Cyprus	Template:Dts
102	Brunei	Template:Dts
103	South Korea	Template:Dts
104	Kyrgyzstan	Template:Dts
—	Ukraine (severed)	Template:Dts
105	Estonia	Template:Dts
106	Turkmenistan	Template:Dts
107	Kazakhstan	Template:Dts
108	Latvia	Template:Dts
109	Slovenia	Template:Dts
110	Slovakia	Template:Dts
111	Nicaragua	Template:Dts
112	Tajikistan	Template:Dts
113	Belarus	Template:Dts
114	Equatorial Guinea	Template:Dts
115	Armenia	Template:Dts
116	South Africa	Template:Dts
117	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Template:Dts
118	Lithuania	Template:Dts
119	Azerbaijan	Template:Dts
120	Uzbekistan	Template:Dts
121	Peru	Template:Dts
122	Seychelles	Template:Dts
123	Croatia	Template:Dts
124	Angola	Template:Dts
125	Madagascar	Template:Dts
126	Mauritius	Template:Dts
127	Jamaica	Template:Dts
128	Iceland	Template:Dts
129	Moldova	Template:Dts
130	Namibia	Template:Dts
131	Finland	Template:Dts
132	Zimbabwe	Template:Dts
133	Guatemala	Template:Dts
134	Dominican Republic	Template:Dts
135	Botswana	Template:Dts
136	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Template:Dts
137	Nepal	Template:Dts
138	Paraguay	Template:Dts
139	Mozambique	Template:Dts
140	Sri Lanka	Template:Dts
141	Monaco	Template:Dts
142	Eritrea	Template:Dts
143	Montenegro	Template:Dts
144	Template:Country data Georgia	Template:Dts
145	Djibouti	Template:Dts
146	El Salvador	Template:Dts
147	Ecuador	Template:Dts
148	Comoros	Template:Dts
149	Barbados	Template:Dts
150	Philippines	Template:Dts
151	Malawi	Template:Dts
152	São Tomé and Príncipe	Template:Dts
153	Saint Lucia	Template:Dts
154	Bolivia	Template:Dts
155	Uruguay	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Algeria	22 July 1963	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 22 July 1963. During the Tuareg rebellion of 2012, the Algerian consulate was seized by at least two people wearing explosives belts. Seven hostages were taken, including the consul. In regards to Azawad's UDI, Algeria's Prime Minister has declared it would never "accept questioning Mali's territorial integrity" Algeria has planned to co-ordinate with MNLA to work towards freeing the hostages. Algeria has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Algiers.
Azerbaijan	26 November 1996	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 November 1996 The Azerbaijani embassy in Rabat is accredited to Mali.
Belgium	1 August 1963	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 August 1963 when M. Gerard Walravens, first Ambassador of Belgium to Mali, resident in Abidjan, presented his letters of credentials to President Modibo Keita.
Benin	27 August 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 August 1965 when first ambassador of Mali to Dahomey (resident in Niamey) Mr. Hangadoumbo Toure presented his credentials.
Brazil	24 January 1962	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1962. Brazil has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Brasília.
Canada	7 January 1963	See Canada–Mali relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 January 1963 Mali established its embassy in Canada in 1978, with its first appointed ambassador Zana Ousmane Dao, while Canada's embassy in Mali has been open since 1995. Canada has moved from Mali's sixth-largest donor of bilateral official development assistance in 2000 to third-largest in 2007. The value of Canada's exports of goods to Mali exceeded imports from Mali by Cdn.$22m. between 1990 and 2008. Natural Resources Canada estimated that Canadian mining investment in Mali reached Cdn.$500 million in 2009, and in 2005, 73 mining concessions were held by Canadian firms in Mali. Canada has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Ottawa.
China	25 October 1960	See China–Mali relations China established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Mali on 25 October 1960 China has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Beijing.
Cuba	30 December 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 30 December 1960 Cuba has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Havana.
Cyprus	26 January 1990	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 January 1990 when first Ambassador of Mali to Cyprus Mr. Sinally Coulibaly presented his credentials
Ethiopia	23 March 1964	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 March 1964 when first Ambassador of the Republic of Mali, Mr. Modibo Diallo, has presented his credentials to Emperor Haile Selassie
Finland	18 August 2005	See Finland–Mali relations
France	20 August 1960	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1960 Mali has a longstanding relationship with France, its former colonial ruler, but relations have been described as ambivalent rather than close. Mali dropped out of the Franc Zone shortly after independence, not rejoining until 1967. One contentious issue between the two nations is the frequent expulsion of illegal Malian immigrants from France since 1996. However, France has played a significant part in helping Mali via military support in the Northern Mali conflict, with soldiers of the two nations' armies working together to take back territory from the rebels. This military intervention, named Operation Barkhane, had the main objectives of strengthening Mali's armed forces and counterrorism efforts which began in 2013. It was meant to bring stability to the state's institutions but, ultimately, helped to enable the 2020 military-led coup d'état. In 2022, Mali expelled the last 2,400 troops of the advanced French military services due to increased violence and worsening conditions following the 2021 coup. This marked a shift in relations between the two countries but appears to have not threatened other forms of support, such as financial aid. France has historically lent significant funding to Mali, most notably starting in December 2018 during the G-5 Sahel's Joint Force's Priority Investment Program (PIP) conference. This funding was meant to boost security efforts with the G5 Sahel, raising US$2.6 billion in pledges for the region from international donors. Since the dismantling of the Sahel, it is unclear if and how these funds have been distributed. France also donated US$128 million between 2020–2021 to Mali through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC). France has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Paris.
Gambia	25 June 1971	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 June 1971 when Gambia's first Ambassador to Mali, Mr. Samuel Jonathan Okiki Sarr, presented his credentials to the Head of States, Lieut. Traore.
	23 September 1960	See Germany–Mali relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 September 1960 Germany has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Berlin.
India	24 January 1962	See India–Mali relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 January 1962. India has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in New Delhi.
Indonesia	21 June 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 June 1965 when M. Souraedi Tashi, Indonesia's first Ambassador to Mali, presented his credentials to President Modibo Keita.
Libya	17 November 1972	See Libya-Mali relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 17 November 1972 when the first Libyan Ambassador to Mali, Muhammad Ahmad Mograhi, presented his credentials to President Mousa Traore. Libya has an embassy in Bamako. Mali has an embassy in Tripoli.
Mauritania	1963	See Mali–Mauritania relations Since Mauritania negotiated a boundary dispute with Mali in 1963, ties between the two countries have been mostly cordial. Mali and Mauritania have cooperated on several development projects, such as the OMVS and a plan to improve roads between Nouakchott and Bamako. This cooperation somewhat lessened Mali's dependence on Senegal and Ivory Coast. Although relations were warm with other black African states, since 1965 the orientation of Mauritania's foreign policy has been geared towards relations with North African countries. Mali has an embassy in Nouakchott. Mauritania has an embassy in Bamako.
Mexico	23 March 1977	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 March 1977 Mali is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C. Mexico is accredited to Mali from its embassy in Rabat and has an honorary consulate in Bamako.
Namibia	27 October 2004	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 October 2004 when has been accredited non-resident Ambassador of Mali to Namibia Mr. Sinally Coulibaly.
Netherlands	11 July 1964	See Mali–Netherlands relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 July 1964 when has been accredited Ambassador of the Netherlands to Mali with residence in Dakar.
New Zealand	6 March 1983	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 March 1983 when first Mali Ambassador to New Zealand (resident in Peking), Mr. Boubacar Toure presented his credentials to the Governor-General
Pakistan	1963	Mali is accredited to Pakistan from its embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Poland	12 May 1961	See Mali–Poland relations
Russia	14 October 1960	See Mali–Russia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 October 1960 Mali has an embassy in Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Bamako.
Rwanda	6 January 1987	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 January 1987 when ambassador Moktar Kounta El Bakaye presented his credentials to president Juvénal Habyarimana.
South Korea	27 September 1990	Both countries estadlished diplomatic relations on 27 September 1990 Mali is accredited to South Korea from its embassy in Beijing, China.
Spain	20 August 1964	See Mali–Spain relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 August 1964. Mali has an embassy in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in Bamako.
Sweden	25 January 1965	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 January 1965, when the first Swedish ambassador to Mali with residence in Abidjan, Karl Henrik Anderson, presented his letters of credentials. In 2024, the Swedish government suspended humanitarian aid to Mali due to the pro-Russian policies adopted by the military government of Assimi Goïta. In response, the government of Mali ordered the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador in Bamako.
Turkey	17 April 1963	Mali has an embassy in Ankara. Turkey has an embassy in Bamako. Trade volume between the two countries was US$57 million in 2019 (Mali's exports/imports: 8.6/48.4 million USD).
Ukraine	5 November 1992 Diplomatic Relations Severed in 4 August 2024	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 November 1992. In August 2024, the Malian military government severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine following the Battle of Tinzaouaten.
United Kingdom	15 March 1961	See Foreign relations of the United Kingdom The UK established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 15 March 1961 Mali does not maintain an embassy in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is accredited to Mali through its embassy in Bamako. Both countries share common membership of the International Criminal Court, and the World Trade Organization. The UK provides international aid to Mali through the Sahel Region Development Partnership.
United States	24 September 1960	See Mali–United States relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 September 1960 The bilateral agenda is dominated by efforts to increase broad-based growth, improve health and educational facilities, promote the sustainable use of natural resources, reduce the population growth rate, counter the spread of highly infectious diseases, encourage regional stability, build peacekeeping capabilities, institutionalize respect for human rights, and strengthen democratic institutions in offering good governance. Mali currently is a small market for U.S. trade and investment, but there is potential for considerable growth as its economy expands. The majority of Mali-US relations and support is centered around military efforts in the form of intelligence, equipment, and financial aid valuing over $588 million, which began in 2017. From 2020 to 2021, US$205 million was also donated in aid through OECD-DAC. This pledged support was announced as conditional on Mali's ability to uphold elections on an agreed timeframe. Although this election timeframe has not been upheld, USAID is currently giving to the distinct initiatives of Agriculture and Economic Growth, Education, Health, Humanitarian Assistance, Multi-Sectoral Nutrition, and Peace, Democracy, and Governance (PDG) Programs. The most recent coups, expulsion of foreign troops, and rejection of intergovernmental foreign aid has made these programs less stable, but has not slowed donations or halted the US support. Mali has an embassy in Washington, D.C. United States has an embassy in Bamako.
Zambia	2 October 1987	Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 October 1987 when has been accredited Ambassador of Mali to Zambia (resident in Cairo) Elbekaye Moctar Kounta.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Mali
• List of diplomatic missions of Mali