Mali

The Republic of Mali, in West Africa, became independent from France in 1960. The country borders with Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso to the southeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the south, Senegal to the west, Guinea to the southwest, and Mauritania to the northwest. Its population is estimated to be over 20 million and divided into approximately nine main ethnic groups. The official language is French.

Criss-crossed for centuries by commercial routes relevant not only for inter-African trade but also for the Broader Mediterranean region, Mali connects Sub-Saharan Africa to the Maghreb. The proliferation of illicit traffics in the area, together with the exacerbation of inter-ethnic tensions, resulted in a civil war in 2012, the disruptive effects of which spread throughout the Sahel region.

Total trade between Italy and Mali was estimated at €68 million in 2021. In 2017, the Italian Ministry of the Environment launched a cooperation initiative with the Republic of Mali to combat climate change. Due to the ongoing armed conflict and the presence of important migratory routes that flow directly into the channel of Sicily, Italy considers Mali of strategic importance for its security.