Despite their citizens being among Africa’s poorest, Mali, Niger,and Burkina Faso boast mineral riches beyond the dreams of most nations. All three Sahel countries have sizable gold deposits, and minerals increasingly important for renewable energy production.

Mali has gold, oil, and gas, and recently opened two lithium mines. Niger's natural resources include uranium, tin, oil, phosphates, and gold. Burkina Faso is one of Africa's largest gold producers, but also has copper, zinc, manganese, and phosphates.

Ending pro-Western orientation

Over the last decade, these three countries have shifted away from the West. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger underwent military coups in 2020, 2022 and 2023 respectively. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended their membership and imposed sanctions. But the military rulers in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso said they want economic emancipation from their former colonial power France, Europe, and the West. They chose to leave ECOWAS, which they consider to be an "extended arm of Western interests," and founded their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Three military juntas seek legitimacy

For years now, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have also turned to non-Western partner countries, such as Russia, China, Turkey and North Korea.

Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel Program of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in Mali's capital Bamako, told DW:

"I cannot imagine that Mali, Niger, or Burkina Faso will return to ECOWAS anytime soon. The new AES alliance is seen by the military rulers as part of their sovereignty and legitimacy."

Seidik Abba, president of the Sahel think tank CIRES, based in Paris, says a history of unequal treatment is partly to blame:

"The conditions were unilaterally set by the Western countries. For example, they set the prices for the raw materials they purchased from African countries. And that was, and still is, perceived as unfair in Africa," said the researcher, who is originally from Niger.

African countries have found other buyers for their raw materials, be it China,Turkey, or even Russia.

"Africans have become more self-confident and are demanding relationships that benefit both sides," Seidik Abba says.

Race for lithium from Mali: advantage China

Chinese state-owned companies have jumped at the chance to mine lithium, which is abundant in the Sahel.

In December, Ganfeng opened the Goulamina lithium mine in southern Mali. Over the next 23 years, 500,000 tons of spodumene concentrate, a primary source of lithium, will be produced annually.

The Chinese company has granted Mali’s government 30%, and local investors another 5%, of the mine's shares. However, 65% of the shares remain with Ganfeng Lithium. According to its own statements, the company intends to strictly adhere to

the the Malian government's 2023 mining law, which requires a higher national participation in strategic mining projects.

The Malian mining law says Malian companies should benefit from at least 51% of supply contracts. A portion of the revenue from the mining operations should be used to finance local infrastructure projects.

Annual revenue from the mine is estimated at over 150 million Euros.
Junta leader Assimi Goïta described the opening of the mine as a "strategic and sincere partnership."

Lithium mining ramps up

The Chinese have recognized Africa's potential for lithium production early on. Already in 2023, Wang Xiaoshen, President of Ganfeng, told the London-based agency Benchmark Source:"We believe Africa will provide the next great opportunity for the lithium business."
The Goulamina lithium mine in Mali is the sixth-largest lithium project in Africaaccording the Battery Minerals Africa portal. The two largest lithium projects are in Zimbabwe, the third and fourth largest are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the fifth-largest project is in South Africa. 

Lithium, Uranium, Gold – The West Left Empty-Handed

Chinese or Russian mining projects have started across Africa, not just in the Sahel region. In June 2024, Nigerien leaders revoked the mining license for the French state-owned Orano to operate the IMOURAREN mine, one of the world's largest uranium mines. Niger could also revoke the license for the Somaïr uranium mine, north of Agadez. The Orano mine supplied about 10% of France's and almost 25% of western Europe's uranium needs.

Uranium deliveries from Niger have been significantly restricted since the military coup, says Ulf Laessing from KAS: "The borders to Benin are currently closed, so uranium cannot be exported at the moment. The port in Cotonou, Benin, is the only one licensed for this, but since Niger's exit from ECOWAS, the port is closed to Nigerien products."

In Burkina Faso, a similar scenario: President Ibrahim Traoré recently announced that the resources of his country should no longer be exploited so easily by foreign businesses. He threatened to revoke licenses for Western mining companies. The Boungou and Wahgnion mines, operated by British Endeavour Mining Plc, were expropriated Traoré’s government in August 2024. He said he wanted to bring the mining economy into Burkinabe hands.

All not lost for the West?

"We will never return to relations where one side dominates,” says Seidik Abba from the Paris-based Sahel think-tank CIRES. But for the West, all is not lost, according to Abba. He says the West still has comparative advantages in the Sahel countries, which it can leverage for future dealings, such as linguistic, cultural, and historical connections, Abba adds.

Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, shares a similar view: "Currently, there are again slight rapprochements, especially between Mali and the European Union. The EU has just extended its police training mission EUCAP Sahel for another two years. There have also been some isolated visits from the EU," he tells DW.

He says the EU should retain the three AES countries as strategic partners, adding "Mali and the other Sahel countries have realized they cannot completely forgo cooperation with Europe."

This article was originally written in German

Edited by: Cai Nebe