Mali : General Assimi Goïta on official visit to Russia to strengthen cooperation

On June 21, 2025, Mali’s General Assimi Goïta began a six-day official visit to Russia, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. This visit comes after the withdrawal of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner from Mali two weeks ago. The aim is to finalize cooperation agreements in sectors such as defense, energy, agriculture, technology, higher education, and culture, as well as create an intergovernmental commission for the cooperation. A major project includes the construction of Mali’s first gold refinery, in partnership with Russian company Yadran Group.