The Trump administration’s strategic pivot in the Sahel

By shifting its Africa policy from humanitarian aid to commercial diplomacy, the Trump administration has signaled a dramatic reorientation of US engagement in the Sahel.

Centered on trade, security cooperation, and access to strategic minerals, this pivot marks a departure from decades of aid-focused partnerships and reflects broader geopolitical recalibrations in a region increasingly courted by rival powers, notably China and Russia.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have endured successive military coups between 2020 and 2023, leading to the suspension of US development aid and military cooperation. These countries, plagued by persistent jihadist violence linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, have struggled to stabilize their territories despite years of international support.

In response to these upheavals, the Sahel military regimes have distanced themselves from traditional Western allies- most notably France- and embraced new partnerships with Russia, including its private military contractor Wagner (now rebranded as Africa Corps). This realignment has opened the door for alternative global actors to assert influence in the region.

Under President Trump, the US has adopted a pragmatic, transactional approach to Africa. Senior officials have visited Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey in recent months, offering counterterrorism assistance and promoting American private investment. The message is clear: the U.S. is willing to help combat terrorism, but in exchange for access to valuable natural resources.

Mali’s lithium and gold, Niger’s uranium, and Burkina Faso’s gold reserves have become central to Washington’s strategic calculus.

According to Ulf Laessing of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, U.S. officials have proposed targeted operations against jihadist leaders in return for mining concessions.

This reflects a broader trend in Trump-era diplomacy, where mineral access has featured prominently in negotiations with countries like Ukraine and in peace talks between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Despite their nationalist rhetoric and emphasis on sovereignty, the military regimes of the Sahel have welcomed this shift. Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop praised the “convergence of views” between Bamako and Washington, emphasizing the importance of investment and economic potential.

This alignment comes at a time when US diplomatic presence in the region is under review. Some State Department officials, concerned about embassy closures and the end of USAID programs, have advocated for continued engagement, citing the region’s resource wealth and the growing influence of Russia and China.