Mali

Choguel Kokalla Maiga lost the job a day earlier following his criticism of the military leaders. New PM General Abdoulaye Maiga had until now served as the government's spokesman. 

[…] European governments should stay involved in the Sahel wherever possible. The region is part of Europe’s neighbourhood; rival outside powers have no qualms about mass human-rights abuses; and further disengagement will only open up new inroads for malign actors.

Morocco's Atlantic Initiative seeks to transform the geostrategic landscape of the Sahel and Sub-Saharan regions amid a wave of coups fueled by economic and social decline.

Le ministre malien de l’Économie, Alousséni Sanou, a souligné l’importance d’une nouvelle orientation stratégique pour le Mali. 

European governments are divided on how to respond to West Africa becoming the world’s terrorism hotspot, with European nations who receive most migrants favouring to keep communication with the juntas open.

Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have announced a deal with Russia which will see them acquire telecoms and surveillance satellites.

The recent militant Islamist attack in Bamako is part of a broader push by violent extremist groups into southern Mali and reflective of the deteriorating security in Mali under military rule.

Mali’s military leader Asimi Goita has vowed to maintain operations against jihadist fighters after the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group carried out a major attack in the capital, Bamako, severely denting the junta’s narrative that it is improving security in the country.

Islamic militants attacked a military training camp in Mali's capital Tuesday, sparking a deadly gunbattle and the temporary closure of a nearby airport before troops were able to subdue the assailants, officials said. 

[…] The loss of such experienced fighters exposes dangers faced by Russian mercenary forces working for military juntas, which are struggling to contain separatists and powerful offshoots of Islamic State and Al Qaeda across the arid Sahel region in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.