Mali: creation of a Precious Substances Office to regulate the gold sector

The government of Mali has established a new Office for Precious Substances to organize and regulate gold trade, particularly from artisanal mining. Official data shows production reached 75.2 tonnes in 2025 (+4%), including 7.1 tonnes from small-scale mining (+18%). The sector generated CFA 850 billion (≈$1.4 billion), accounting for over 10% of GDP. The reform aims to reduce the gap between declared exports (~65 tonnes) and estimates up to 85 tonnes, based on import data from the United Arab Emirates, and to improve traceability.