harvesting bullets

Wagner’s mercenary gold rush in Mali

in depth

This article is part of the dossier:

Wagner, Africa’s new looters

By Benjamin Roger

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Posted on July 7, 2023 09:01

Yevgeny Prigozhin and the President of the Transition in Mali, Assimi Goïta. © MONTAGE JA: OUSMANE MAKAVELI/AFP; Pool /Wagner Group/ZUMA Press/ZUMA-REA
Yevgeny Prigozhin and the President of the Transition in Mali, Assimi Goïta. © MONTAGE JA: OUSMANE MAKAVELI/AFP; Pool /Wagner Group/ZUMA Press/ZUMA-REA

Since its arrival in Bamako at the end of 2021, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s group Wagner has been eyeing Mali’s considerable gold resources. Recovery of mining permits, creation of local companies, artisanal gold panning, trafficking via Dubai; all avenues are being explored to make the most of Mali’s mines.

Wagner, the new plunderers of Africa (2/2)

Russian mercenaries have set up two mining companies and have since been trying to recover mining licences with the support of the Malian business sector. Their interest in gold has increased tenfold since the start of the war in Ukraine.

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