Mali Takes Strategic Majority Stake

Mali has made a little-noticed move that could reshape its economic leverage, taking a 51% majority stake in a China-backed explosives venture, according to officials and industry sources. The decision gives the Malian state controlling interest in a sector critical to mining, infrastructure and national security. Analysts say the move signals a shift away from extractive partnerships that leave African states with limited control, toward arrangements that strengthen local ownership and revenue capture. While the deal drew scant global attention, it reflects a broader push by Mali to assert economic sovereignty through strategic state participation.