For years, US policy in the region was shaped by pressure for democratic transition after coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2020 and 2023.
But under President Donald Trump, Washington is now placing more emphasis on security cooperation, counterterrorism and economic interests.
Nick Checker, a senior official at the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, recently visited Bamako, where he met Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.
Ahead of the visit, the bureau said on X that the US wanted to “chart a new course” in relations with Mali and reaffirmed Washington’s respect for the country’s sovereignty.
It also said the US looked forward to consulting with other governments in the region, including Burkina Faso and Niger, on “shared security and economic interests.”
