The Sahel is becoming a new geopolitical battleground — and Africa now has options.
The United States is recalibrating its policy toward Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso as Russia expands its military and political footprint across the Sahel through its Africa Corps.
Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop on Monday hosted a senior U.S. official, US State Department Africa bureau chief Nick Checker, in talks aimed at setting a “new course” in relations between Washington and the junta-led state. Checker reaffirmed U.S. respect for Mali’s sovereignty and signaled interest in broader engagement with Burkina Faso and Niger on shared security and economic priorities.
The outreach follows a wave of military coups between 2020 and 2023 that toppled elected governments in all three countries. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. sharply curtailed military cooperation. Under President Donald Trump, officials have adopted a more pragmatic approach, downplaying democracy as a prerequisite for engagement.
The shift comes as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have severed or downgraded ties with France and the EU, withdrawn from ECOWAS, and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). All three have deepened security cooperation with Russia, which now deploys forces from its Africa Corps and provides training and combat support.
Russia has highlighted joint operations in Niger, including the repulsion of a January attack on Niamey’s airport claimed by ISWAP, and has pledged continued assistance to regional armed forces. Meanwhile, jihadist violence persists, with recent attacks in both Mali and Niger underscoring the fragility of security gains.
U.S. diplomats say Washington is seeking to correct “past policy missteps” and explore conditions under which it could re-engage in counterterrorism efforts. Analysts note that the Sahel states’ vast mineral wealth — including gold, uranium, and lithium — adds another layer to the strategic competition.
As Europe struggles to coordinate a unified Sahel strategy, influence in the region is increasingly shaped by rivalry between global powers, leaving Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso with greater leverage — and more choices — than before.
