Relationship dossier
Canada
Mali
Relationship assessment
Development cooperation and UN peacekeeping links, alongside friction over Mali’s military-led transition
Canada toward Mali
+10Canada has provided development assistance to Mali and contributed personnel and aviation support to the UN peacekeeping mission. Canada also imposed sanctions on Malian officials in response to the military-led transition, adding tension to the relationship.
Mali toward Canada
+10Mali hosted the UN peacekeeping mission in which Canadian personnel and aviation support served, enabling that contribution. The scope of other direct Malian government cooperation with Canada is less clear.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has included development cooperation and Canadian participation in UN peacekeeping in Mali, but has also been affected by political tension over Mali’s military-led transition and Canadian sanctions. These features support a modestly cooperative overall characterization.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Canada has maintained a development relationship with Mali and contributed personnel and aviation support to the UN peacekeeping mission there. Relations have also faced strain over Mali’s military-led transition, including Canadian sanctions against Malian officials. Mali’s hosting of the UN mission enabled Canadian participation, though the scope of direct bilateral cooperation is less clear.
Areas of tension
- Canada’s sanctions against Malian officials over the military-led transition.
Key developments
Canada deployed personnel and aviation support to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali.
Canada imposed sanctions on Malian officials in response to the military-led transition.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and continuity of direct Canada–Mali development agreements are unclear.
- The extent of Malian government cooperation with Canada outside the UN mission is unclear.