Malians suffer as military rulers struggle to deliver on promises

Aug. 18, 2024, 9:25 a.m.

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Four years after the military takeover in Mali, many residents report worsening economic difficulties and frequent power outages that are harming businesses.

The August 2020 coup in the troubled West African nation was sparked by public discontent with corrupt leaders supported by former colonial power France, a spreading jihadist insurgency and economic hardship. Many are still waiting for improvements in their lives.

“The way they’ve handled the electricity situation is a problem. Many Malians are experiencing huge losses,” Oumar Diarra, a furniture maker, told Reuters. “The government has to make an effort because we are suffering enormously.”

Advertisement The 2020 coup in Mali sparked a series of coups in the Sahel region south of the Sahara desert, including in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. These countries are all battling the same jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

The current military junta in Mali, which took power in a second coup in 2021, has broken a promise to hold elections in February. They have postponed the vote indefinitely, citing technical reasons.

Allasana Ag Agaly, a silversmith, explained that power outages are impacting every household in Mali. “If the head of the family leaves for work in the morning and returns home at night without being able to earn an income for his family, it will negatively affect the children, the women, and everyday life,” he said.

The World Bank says economic growth in Mali is expected to slow to 3.1% this year from 3.5% last year, with extreme poverty levels rising. About 90% of Mali’s population lives in poverty.

Military leaders in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have expelled French and UN troops that were fighting Islamist insurgents for ten years. These countries have instead turned to Russia for assistance.

Some locals express optimism, viewing the current difficulties as a necessary sacrifice for greater independence from France.

“Political independence without economic independence is meaningless,” said Alkady Haidara, a resident in the capital Bamako. “I just want Malians to be patient, because it’s part of life. You have to go through a difficult time to have a brighter moment.”

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