A major Russian delegation touched down in Bamako on Monday, 28 July 2025, signaling a new chapter in deepening bilateral relations between Russia and Mali.
The 60-member team, led by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, arrived via a special flight from Moscow through Niamey and was received by Malian officials including Ministers Alousseini Sanou, Boubacar Diané, and General Alou Boï Diarra, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
This visit marks a critical step in the expanding cooperation between Russia and Mali, particularly within the framework of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The delegation includes senior representatives from Russia’s ministries of Energy, Defence, Economy, Industry, and Education, along with executives from major state-owned corporations such as Rosatom, Inter RAO, Sberbank, Kamaz, and Roscosmos.
Discussions focused on a broad spectrum of joint projects, notably in energy, transportation, infrastructure, agriculture, and mining—echoing similar agendas during Tsivilev’s recent stop in Niamey.
Energy cooperation, particularly in the fields of nuclear and renewable sources, featured prominently.
Drawing parallels with a recent agreement signed with Niger for the peaceful use of atomic energy, the Russian delegation proposed similar initiatives to Mali, including civil nuclear development and supplies of oil and fertilizers.
The defence and security dimension of the mission also stood out.
High-ranking military officials—including General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and Lieutenant General Andrei Averyanov from Russia—held talks with General Alou Boï Diarra on strengthening Mali’s capacity to combat terrorist and separatist threats, including those posed by the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).
Ongoing Russian support includes military training, equipment delivery, and infrastructure development such as at Bamako’s airport base.
Key strategic objectives discussed during the visit include the creation of a joint Russian-Malian intergovernmental commission on economic and technical cooperation. Similar to efforts in Niger, this commission would formalize and accelerate the execution of shared projects.
Russia also expressed strong interest in participating in Mali’s infrastructure overhaul, including plans for railway construction, tram systems, and the development of a regional airline—proposals that align with Moscow’s broader economic outreach in Africa.
Natural resource exploration formed another pillar of the dialogue. With Mali’s vast gold reserves and potential uranium deposits, Russian firms like Rosatom are seeking partnerships for responsible extraction.
Officials from both countries highlighted a desire for fair, mutually beneficial deals—positioning Russian cooperation as an alternative to what Malian authorities describe as “colonial” economic models.
The visit underscores Russia’s strategic intent to build long-term alliances in the Sahel through economic, military, and diplomatic channels, as Bamako increasingly looks eastward for reliable international partners.
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