Uncertainty over the future of the 2015 peace agreement is more real than ever, following fighting between the Wagner-backed Forces de l’Armée Malienne (FAMA) and the secessionist Azawad insurgency. The new Sahelian geopolitical alliance (Mali, Niger, Burkina-Faso) responds to the failures of the political and institutional architecture maintained by France since 2013 in the Sahel. This French presence suffered a wave of “anti-French sentiment” that eventually led to the departure of French forces from Malian territory. For its part, the UN peacekeeping operator MINUSMA faced an internal crisis that led to the force’s total withdrawal. At the same time, Russia became Mali’s main military partner, in particular to support the government in reclaiming the north of the country, which had been under insurgent control since 2011.
