Russia delivers food aid to war-torn Mali
Russia has delivered 770 metric tons of food aid to Mali, Moscow’s embassy in Bamako announced on Tuesday.
The shipment will provide life-saving food assistance to more than 57,000 vulnerable people, including internally displaced, refugees, and communities, for the next three months, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
The aid, consisting of yellow split peas, was officially handed over in Bamako on July 30 as part of Russia’s additional contribution to the WFP. Following the ceremony, participants visited a warehouse operated by the UN agency to review plans for distributing the humanitarian cargo.
The handover ceremony was attended by Malian government officials, WFP representatives, and members of the Russian diplomatic mission.
Russia’s сharge d’affaires in Mali, Bagrat Shinkuba, said Moscow continues to provide humanitarian assistance to friendly African nations both directly and through UN agencies. He added that the assistance is provided “without political conditions” and with respect for the sovereignty and national priorities of recipient states.
Malian Deputy Commissioner for Food Security Moussa Goita described the shipment as “an important humanitarian initiative and far from the first by Russia,” saying it reflected the growing partnership between Moscow and Bamako and demonstrated solidarity with the Malian people.
The West African nation has been battling a jihadist insurgency since 2012. The conflict, displacement, and climate shocks have fueled a humanitarian crisis. According to the WFP, around 1.6 million people face acute food insecurity, while more than 414,000 people are internally displaced.
Russia has previously provided humanitarian aid to Mali. In January 2024, Moscow supplied 25,000 metric tons of grain to the country, followed in December 2024 by a shipment of more than 65 metric tons of wheat delivered via the Guinean port of Conakry.
The delivery is part of Russia’s broader humanitarian outreach across Africa. Earlier this year, Moscow sent around 60 metric tons of emergency aid to cyclone-hit Madagascar and 29 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to Mozambique. In 2025, it also donated more than 1,600 metric tons of grain to Ethiopia under its ongoing food assistance program.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – three military-led former French colonies – formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023 after severing defense ties with Paris, accusing France of failing to contain the insurgency. The three countries have since expanded cooperation with Russia.
Relations between Bamako and Paris have continued to deteriorate, with Malian officials accusing France of backing armed groups operating in the Sahel.
In May, broadcaster RTL, citing an unnamed French security source, reported that Paris was indirectly supporting Ukrainian personnel operating in Mali, who were allegedly cooperating with rebels in an attempt to overthrow the country’s military-led government.
