Mali Funds Two Aircraft for New National Carrier Mali Airlines

On Sep 2, 2026

Mali has approved funding for the acquisition of two new aircraft for Mali Airlines, providing the clearest indication yet of the planned national carrier’s initial fleet as the government moves toward launching commercial operations.

The aircraft will be financed through Mali’s Fund for the Development of Energy, Water and Transport Infrastructure, a mechanism created under the country’s 2023 Mining Code to channel mining-sector revenues into strategic infrastructure projects. The decision was reported by Sahel Tribune following the fund’s first steering committee meeting in Bamako on July 31, 2026.

According to Sahel Tribune, transport projects approved for financing include the acquisition of two “latest-generation” aircraft for the new Mali Airlines. Neither the aircraft manufacturer nor model, purchase price, delivery schedule or financing amount has been disclosed. The government’s official account of the July 31 meeting confirmed that transport projects were among those being financed but did not specify the two-aircraft acquisition.

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Dembélé Madina Sissoko has described the establishment of a national airline as a necessity for landlocked Mali. The government sees the carrier as part of a broader effort to improve domestic connectivity while strengthening the country’s links with neighboring states and international markets.

The infrastructure fund is backed by mandatory mining-sector contributions established under Article 98 of Law No. 2023-040 of August 29, 2023. Mining operators covered by the provision contribute 1% of quarterly revenue and, during the first five years from the start of production, 10% of the applicable ad valorem royalty.

Economy and Finance Minister Alousséïni Sanou said XOF109.142 billion (about USD193 million) was collected between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. The mechanism is designed to convert part of Mali’s mineral wealth into infrastructure investment while reducing dependence on external financing.

Transport projects approved alongside the Mali Airlines aircraft include four new river vessels, railway construction and rehabilitation, and road infrastructure. The fund is also supporting major energy projects, including the proposed 56-megawatt Kénié hydroelectric plant and part of the 50-megawatt Sanankoroba solar project.

Mali Airlines was formally created through Ordinance No. 2024-009/PT-RM of August 13, 2024, after the Council of Ministers approved its establishment and statutes on July 31, 2024. The National Transitional Council ratified the ordinance on November 14, 2024. The state-owned company was established with share capital of XOF5 billion, or roughly USD8.8 million at current exchange rates.

The airline is intended to restore a state-backed national aviation operation after the collapse of the previous Compagnie Aérienne du Mali, which later operated as Air Mali. That carrier was established in 2005, rebranded as Air Mali in 2009 and suspended operations in December 2012 amid Mali’s political and security crisis.

Privately owned Sky Mali, which began operations in 2020, currently operates scheduled domestic and regional services from Bamako. Its current network includes destinations such as Tombouctou, Mopti and Abidjan, with the airline increasing Abidjan service to five weekly flights from August 3, 2026.

The approval of funding for two aircraft moves Mali Airlines closer to becoming an operational carrier, although significant details remain unresolved. The government has yet to announce the aircraft type, supplier, delivery dates, planned route network or a firm launch date. The airline will also need to complete the required regulatory and operational preparations before beginning commercial flights.

Fact-check note: I would remove the original claim that the fund had “mobilised more than XOF120 billion.” The official government account and multiple contemporary reports support XOF109.142 billion collected between January 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. I would also avoid describing Sky Mali as Mali’s “sole passenger carrier”; available records show other Malian aviation operators, while Sky Mali is more accurately described as the country’s principal privately owned scheduled passenger airline.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com

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