Sahel Edition

Guinea’s Mining Purge Echoes Mali’s Playbook, With Different GoalsF



Posted On 31 May 2025

Number of times this article was read : 1666

Guinea’s junta has launched a sweeping crackdown on mining permits, abruptly revoking over 100 licenses for bauxite, gold, iron ore, and diamond projects in a bold move to “clean up” the sector. The decision—announced in dramatic prime-time broadcasts—targets firms accused of hoarding land without development or violating Guinea’s mining code. With the world’s largest bauxite reserves but little local benefit, the military government is betting on resource nationalism to rally public support. But critics warn of risks: opaque reallocation processes, investor flight, and echoes of Mali’s recent contract purges. Is this a genuine reform or just a reshuffle of the same corrupt players? The junta’s next steps will decide whether Guinea’s mineral wealth finally reaches its people—or fuels deeper instability.

🔒 SUBSCRIBER-ONLY ANALYSIS

This in-depth analysis is reserved exclusively for clients subscribing to The North Africa Journal.

Already a subscriber?
Please log in here

Not a subscriber? Take advantage of our lowest subscription rates. Subscribe today

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali✓

Armed groups in northern Mali are shifting toward repeatable FPV drone strikes against Malian army and Russian-linked Africa Corps positions. Recent attacks in Anéfis and Aguelhok indicate a tactical evolution that challenges the assumption of operational sanctuary in the Kidal region.

Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity✓

Niger has formalized local self-defense units known as Domol Leydi as violence intensifies across its borders, reflecting a shift toward community-based security in response to expanding militant activity and limited state reach.

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure$

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

Podcast: Development Without Aid: Power, Politics, and Local Resilience in the Global South$

A conversation with Dr. Kate Schecter, President and CEO of World Neighbors, on how community-led development works in practice across the Global South.