Military & Security

Mali

Military - note

The FAMa is tasked with safeguarding the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also undertaking certain domestic security responsibilities such as upholding public order and assisting law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it engages in socio-economic development initiatives. Historically, the military has held significant influence in the political landscape of Mali; it has intervened in the political sphere on at least five occasions since the nation achieved independence in 1960, specifically in the years 1968, 1976, 1978, 1991, and 2012, prior to the coup in August 2020 and the military takeover in May 2021.

The FAMa, alongside other security forces, is currently involved in military operations targeting various insurgent and terrorist factions linked to al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), in addition to other armed rebel groups, local militias, and criminal organizations found throughout the country's central, northern, and southern regions. Estimates suggest that as much as 50% of the territory is beyond governmental control.

In 2012, the FAMa and other security forces disintegrated amid conflicts with Tuareg rebels and Islamic extremists, and subsequently began a rebuilding process in 2013 with international support from the EU and the UN. The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) concluded their operations in 2023 and 2024, respectively. France launched a military intervention in Mali in 2013 to assist in reclaiming the northern region from rebel and extremist factions, with French troops completing their withdrawal in 2022. Since 2021, Mali has strengthened its security cooperation with Russia, which has supplied equipment, training, and various forms of military assistance (2025).

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

4.3% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military and security forces

note 1: The Gendarmerie and the National Guard operate under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), although operational oversight is also shared with the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection, which additionally oversees the National Police. The National Police is charged with law enforcement duties and maintaining order in urban regions while supporting the FAMa in internal military operations.

note 2: The Gendarmerie primarily focuses on internal security and maintaining public order. Its responsibilities extend to territorial defense, humanitarian missions, intelligence collection, and safeguarding private property, particularly in rural locales. A specialized unit for border security is also part of its structure.

note 3: The National Guard serves as a military entity responsible for securing government facilities and institutions, overseeing prison operations, maintaining public order, conducting humanitarian missions, providing some border security, and engaging in intelligence operations. Its units include a camel corps designated for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali.

note 4: Pro-government militias are also present in Mali, including the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA), whose leader holds a general's rank in the national army.

Malian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Maliennes or FAMa): Army (l’Armée de Terre), Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air); National Guard (la Garde Nationale du Mali); National Gendarmerie of Mali (Gendarmerie Nationale du Mali) (2025).

Military service age and obligation

Aged 18 years for both men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; a compulsory service term of 24 months (2025).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The inventory of the FAMa primarily consists of Soviet-era arms and equipment, supplemented by a smaller amount of more contemporary materials sourced from various suppliers, including France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the UAE (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

Estimates vary; approximately 35-40,000 active personnel in the FAMa, Gendarmerie, and National Guard (2025).

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