The US is nearing a deal with Mali to resume intelligence operations in the region

The United States is reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Mali that would allow American aircraft and drones to operate over Malian airspace again to monitor extremist groups connected to al Qaeda.

The information was confirmed by a current US official and a former official familiar with the discussions.

According to the US sources, Washington recently took an initial step toward the deal by removing sanctions imposed on Mali’s defense minister and several other senior officials who had been accused of maintaining links with Russian mercenary groups, which is a move that was a key demand from Mali’s government.

US officials hope that easing the sanctions will encourage Bamako to authorize intelligence-gathering flights across the country’s vast territory, where jihadist groups have been expanding their influence.

Efforts to restore cooperation with Mali have intensified under the Trump administration after relations deteriorated during the previous US administration.

One motivation behind the renewed intelligence effort is the search for an American pilot kidnapped in neighboring Niger while working with Christian missionaries.

US officials believe the pilot is currently being held in Mali by Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al Qaeda-linked militant group.

Following the lifting of sanctions on February 27, Mali’s government welcomed the decision, describing it as a positive step toward improving relations while emphasizing its commitment to national sovereignty.

Mali, a landlocked gold-producing country in Africa’s Sahel region and roughly twice the size of France, is facing a growing insurgency led by JNIM.

The militant group has carried out widespread kidnappings of foreign nationals across West Africa to finance its operations, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data monitoring group.

Last month, the United States’ senior envoy to Africa, Nick Checker, traveled to Mali for talks with Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.

The State Department said the visit aimed to open a new chapter in bilateral relations and move beyond earlier policy disagreements.

Diop welcomed the initiative, stressing that future cooperation should be based on mutual respect for Mali’s sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.

The Trump administration has also scaled back efforts to push for elections in the Sahel region, where military leaders in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have taken power in recent years and increasingly turned to Russia for security assistance.

The shift in US policy has been received positively by several governments in the region.

Analysts say previous US criticism of military regimes was often viewed in the Sahel as condescending or paternalistic.

Earlier tensions contributed to a major diplomatic rift with Niger in 2024, when the government in Niamey ordered US troops to withdraw from a large drone base in Agadez after disagreements with American officials.

The base had been intended as a key hub for regional intelligence operations, and despite attempts to improve relations, challenges remain; In December, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso introduced reciprocal travel restrictions on Americans after the three countries were included on a US travel ban list.

Meanwhile, militant groups linked to al Qaeda and other organizations continue to strengthen their presence in Mali.

Over the past year, suspected jihadists have attacked gold-mining facilities and major transport routes, disrupting fuel supplies to the capital and affecting businesses and schools.

It remains unclear whether Mali has begun formal steps to approve US surveillance flights or when such operations might resume.

However, a former US official suggested that cooperation would likely emerge because Mali could benefit from US intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities that exceed its own.

The United States previously shared intelligence with Malian authorities that contributed to a strike against senior JNIM leaders last year.

If Mali grants overflight permission, it’s still uncertain where US aircraft would be based, while other African countires like Ivory Coast, has been discussed as a potential location due to its shared border with Mali.

Ghana also hosted US contractors last year when surveillance flights were conducted over Nigeria ahead of US strikes against suspected Islamic State targets.