Uncontrolled artisanal gold mining in Kayes is damaging the environment and fuelling trafficking and local conflicts.
A flourishing gold mining economy in Kayes offers violent extremist groups an opportunity to expand their membership and reach.
Ruling parties are using financial and political barriers to prevent their opponents from running for office.
More holistic approaches are now being used, but they still see conflict and violence through a counter-terrorism lens.
The expansion of extremism shows the flaws in current strategies and the need to rethink regional responses.
Officially they are there to fight terror, but external interventions may be more about self-interest.
Schools will only function properly when Mali’s government restores stability and security.
