By Our Reporter
In a strongly worded statement released on 24 February 2025, Mali’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed “surprise” over the recent announcement by a US government agency that American aid to Mali had been cancelled. The Malian government has called on the United States to prosecute individuals responsible for allegedly diverting funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to finance terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram.
The disputed funding, amounting to $14 million (approximately 8.8 billion CFA francs), was reportedly intended to support social cohesion projects. Mali, which has been distancing itself from Western influence and strengthening ties with Russia in recent years, stated that it had long warned about the dangers of foreign aid being used as a tool for destabilisation and subversion. The government asserted that such aid has been misused to fund terrorist networks operating in the region, further undermining the sovereignty and security of Sahel states.
“Mali recognises itself in the new orientation of the American authorities aimed at cleaning up and humanising their subsidies, and welcomes this awareness of the reality of their ‘public aid’ and the actions undertaken against their subversive use,” the statement read.
The Malian government further urged the United States to take legal action against those responsible for diverting aid funds to terrorist groups, emphasising that Mali and its regional allies within the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) have been direct victims of such illicit financing.
This development follows recent reports that USAID funds were allegedly funnelled to terrorist groups operating in West Africa. A US congressional investigation earlier this year revealed that American taxpayer money, through international aid programmes, may have ended up in the hands of violent extremists, including Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated factions.
While the US government has not officially responded to Mali’s demands for prosecution, recent policy shifts in Washington suggest a tougher stance on monitoring foreign aid. Last month, the US State Department announced a review of its international funding programmes, acknowledging concerns over financial mismanagement and potential links to illicit activities.
Mali, under its military-led transition government, has taken a firm stance against Western involvement in its internal affairs, expelling French troops and aligning with Russian security forces. The latest statement reinforces its broader push for sovereignty while challenging the US to take responsibility for what it describes as “subversive misuse” of development assistance.
SaharaReporters had reported that US Congressman Scott Perry claimed that USAID had funded terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram. Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the statement during the inaugural hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency on 14 February 2025. The session, titled “The War on Waste: Stamping Out the Scourge of Improper Payments and Fraud,” focused on allegations of financial mismanagement within US foreign aid programmes.
“Who gets some of that money? Does that name ring a bell to anybody in the room? Because your money, your money, $697 million annually, plus the shipments of cash funds Madrasas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS Khorasan, terrorist training camps. That’s what it’s funding,” Perry said.
In response, the United States Mission to Nigeria announced that monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to ensure the utilisation of aid allocated to Nigeria and other countries. In a post on its verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the US Mission to Nigeria confirmed that monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to track past assistance provided by the US government.
“Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems are in place to help verify that US assistance reaches intended recipients,” the mission stated.
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