US Nears Deal With Mali to Resume Intelligence Flights

Is U.S. engagement in the Sahel cynical resource extraction or pragmatic counterterrorism partnership?
US Nears Deal With Mali to Resume Intelligence Flights
Above: Mali army officers attend a gathering to celebrate the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Kurukanfuga, Mali on Jan. 28, 2025. Image credit: Gousno/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin


Pro-establishment narrative

America's pragmatic reset with Mali and further Sahel nations corrects years of counterproductive isolation that only pushed these countries deeper into Russian arms while jihadist threats exploded. Restoring intelligence cooperation and security partnerships addresses the urgent terrorism crisis threatening both the region and global stability — offering these governments practical support rather than lecturing them about governance while their citizens face daily violence from extremist groups.

Establishment-critical narrative

Washington's sudden courtship of Mali, but also Niger and Burkina Faso, exposes a cynical pivot driven purely by resource extraction and geopolitical competition with Russia. The Trump administration's abandonment of democracy promotion and embrace of military juntas reveals that American interests in the Sahel have nothing to do with African development and everything to do with securing minerals, maintaining surveillance infrastructure and preventing Russian influence.


Metaculus Prediction


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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.0.0

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 7.0.0