Gold Mining Conflicts in Mali and the Struggle for Economic Justice | Opinions

Last month, the Malian government arrested three gold executives from Resolute Mining, an Australian mining company. The company demanded that it pay $160 million in taxes owed to the state of Mali.

Foreign media were quick to sensationalize the news, calling the arrest “unexpected” and claiming that the executives were being “held in captivity.” This language contains clear elements of neocolonial framing that seeks to portray the legitimate exercise of African sovereignty as criminal.

The incident and the media coverage it received reflect the reality of neo-colonial resource appropriation that continues to plague African countries. Mali’s move may have been met with distortion in the media, but it is part of an emerging pattern of African countries demanding the renegotiation of unfair contracts. If this trend gains momentum, it may motivate others to pursue such measures against foreign companies that make windfall profits from African natural resources.

Mali is one of the largest gold producers in Africa, yet its citizens are among the poorest with nearly half of the population living below the poverty line. The national literacy rate is only 33 percent, while access to basic sanitation is 45 percent and electricity is 48 percent. The country suffers from drought, climate change and malnutrition.

Gold accounts for about 80% of Mali’s total exports, but the economic benefits remain disproportionately small for the Malian people. For decades, foreign mining companies have extracted enormous wealth while contributing minimal benefits to the host country. Reports indicate that Mali loses about $580 million annually due to illicit financial flows and corporate tax evasion.

This unfair exploitation of financial mineral wealth is a legacy of European colonialism. Mali was under French colonial rule for 68 years. During this time, France established resource extraction practices to benefit French industries with minimal attention to local development. Malian gold was one of the main resources plundered by the French.

After Mali gained its independence, this extractive arrangement was transferred from the French colonial authorities to foreign – mostly Western – companies. They made huge profits from financial gold, and paid small amounts of royalties and taxes to the financial government.

The recent tax dispute with Resolute Mining forms part of Mali’s broader efforts to reform the mining sector and renegotiate unfair contracts. Recent changes to its mining law aim to increase state revenues and ownership.

Mali has also demanded taxes from another foreign mining company, Canada’s Barrick Gold. Financial authorities accuse it of owing $500 million in unpaid taxes, and have issued an arrest warrant for its CEO.

Rather than recognizing these reforms as steps toward economic justice, they were dismissed in Western narratives as subversive or authoritarian. This framework obscures Mali’s moral imperative to secure greater benefits from its resources.

Not surprisingly, the UK and Australian governments intervened on behalf of Resolute Mining, pressing for the release of the detained executives. Such actions demonstrate how Western powers prioritize corporate interests in Africa at the expense of local law enforcement. By mobilizing diplomatic resources to protect alleged tax evaders, these governments are reinforcing the narrative that African rule is illegitimate. This interference reflects colonial practices, in which foreign economic interests replaced local economic and social interests.

Despite foreign pressure and biased media coverage, the Malian government succeeded in making Resolute Mining pay its dues. It was also able to update the mining agreement, which increased its share of mining revenues.

Mali’s actions are no exception. Across the continent, countries are taking steps to renegotiate unfair agreements with foreign companies and governments. Senegal, for example, has embarked on a campaign to renegotiate contracts in the mining, oil and gas sectors, while Niger has taken over a uranium mine operated by a French group. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has threatened to revoke some gold mining licenses granted to foreign companies.

These efforts reflect a growing push by African countries to regain control of their resources and governance. They are part of a broader battle for respect, equality and self-determination in African nations.

The confrontation between Mali and foreign mining companies underscores the urgent need for African countries to assert their sovereignty and demand justice in resource extraction. While Western media may portray such actions as destabilizing, this narrative only serves to protect foreign interests. Instead, global audiences should celebrate these efforts as steps toward economic justice.

African countries must stand in solidarity and support each other’s demands for equitable resource management and challenge neo-colonial practices. This is not only Mali’s battle, but it is a battle for the dignity and prosperity of countries across the African continent.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.