Mali’s Junta Is the Architect of Its Own Disasters

These multilateral operations were deployed under the overlapping legitimacies of the U.N. and the African Union and provided the infrastructural support for security and development operations throughout a country smaller than Alaska. While it is hard to put a price tag on these external initiatives, a rough estimate suggests that the international community was spending about $2 billion per year in Mali, or some 8 percent of the country’s GDP.

Just three years ago, and even after consecutive military coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali hosted a major United Nations peacekeeping operation , a European Union military training operation, a five-nation West African regional military alliance, a French combat deployment , and Western militaries, to include the United States, providing support. Mali was also a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc whose soldiers had intervened in several political crises in West Africa.

Just three years ago, and even after consecutive military coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali hosted a major United Nations peacekeeping operation, a European Union military training operation, a five-nation West African regional military alliance, a French combat deployment, and Western militaries, to include the United States, providing support. Mali was also a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc whose soldiers had intervened in several political crises in West Africa.

These multilateral operations were deployed under the overlapping legitimacies of the U.N. and the African Union and provided the infrastructural support for security and development operations throughout a country smaller than Alaska. While it is hard to put a price tag on these external initiatives, a rough estimate suggests that the international community was spending about $2 billion per year in Mali, or some 8 percent of the country