The Chairperson of the African Union Commission arrived in Bamako over the weekend for an official visit aimed at deepening strategic cooperation with Mali, despite the country’s ongoing suspension from AU bodies since the 2021 political transition.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, during his meetings with Malian authorities, underscored the Union’s unwavering solidarity with Bamako as it grapples with escalating armed attacks and terrorist threats across its territory. This stance comes even as Mali remains excluded from AU decision-making platforms—a suspension imposed following the constitutional order disruption but designed not to isolate the nation.

The AU continues to engage through diplomatic channels, leveraging its Special Representative for Mali and the Sahel and the AU Mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL) to foster stability. The rationale is clear: Mali’s security is not just a national issue but a continental imperative.

From solidarity to tangible action

While the AU’s political backing is evident, voices like Alioune Tine, founder of Africa Jom Center, urge the organization to move beyond rhetoric. In his view, the Union must actively mobilize—pressuring capable member states to deploy troops and intelligence resources to bolster Mali’s counterterrorism efforts.

“The AU Chairperson’s visit should transcend symbolic gestures,” Tine asserts. “What Mali desperately needs is concrete military and logistical support from African nations, not just declarations of solidarity.”

The limits of continental cooperation

The Union remains committed to Mali’s territorial integrity and favors political solutions, even as the 2015 Algiers Accord faces growing skepticism from Bamako’s leadership. The situation has grown more complex with the alliance between northern separatists and the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), a development the AU views as a critical escalation.

Aly Tounkara, director of the Sahel Security and Strategic Studies Center, highlights structural hurdles within the AU. “Military or intelligence support from the Union is unlikely when member states themselves struggle to align on priorities—let alone coordinate a unified strategy for Mali,” he explains.

Tounkara also points to external dependencies that hamper AU efficacy: “The organization’s reliance on extra-Sahelian donors creates interference that undermines its operational independence.” As Bamako navigates its security crisis, the AU’s role remains a balancing act between diplomatic pressure, continental unity, and the harsh realities of geopolitical fragmentation.