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Relationship dossier

Mali Sweden

Relationship assessment

Development cooperation followed by a sharp diplomatic dispute

Mali toward Sweden

-25

Mali declared Sweden’s ambassador persona non grata in 2024 following a dispute over statements by Sweden’s government. This marked a concrete deterioration in Mali’s conduct toward Sweden.

Sweden toward Mali

+25

Sweden provided development assistance to Mali and contributed personnel to the UN peacekeeping mission there. These actions reflected sustained, though not necessarily exclusively bilateral, cooperation with Mali.

Overall relationship

+10

Development assistance and Sweden’s participation in the UN mission formed substantial cooperative features of the relationship. Mali’s 2024 expulsion of Sweden’s ambassador introduced a serious diplomatic rupture, while the extent of subsequent cooperation is unclear.

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

Knowledge coverageLimited

Overview

Swedish development assistance and Sweden’s contribution to the UN mission in Mali were significant areas of cooperation. Relations later faced friction over Swedish policy statements and Mali’s expulsion of Sweden’s ambassador in 2024. The extent and implementation of bilateral cooperation after that deterioration are unclear.

Areas of tension

Key developments

Major uncertainties

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