Graduation Year
2025
Date of Submission
12-2024
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
International Relations
Reader 1
Hilary Appel
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2024 Madeline Dornfeld
Abstract
This paper examines the motivations behind Russia’s involvement in Mali, focusing on the interests of both the Russian and Malian states. This analysis is complicated by the presence of Wagner Group, a semi-state security force whose ties to the Russian government have been officially denied until recently. The paper situates Russia’s engagement within a broader geopolitical context, highlighting pivotal events such as the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It argues that Russia’s engagement in Mali is part of a strategic effort to counter international isolation, expand geopolitical influence, and promote a multipolar world order. Notably, this analysis seeks to avoid characterizing or implying that the future of the United States’ engagement in Africa should be viewed through the lens of great power competition, as this characterization risks oversimplifying the complexities on the ground and disregards the agency of local actors.
Recommended Citation
Dornfeld, Madeline, "Russia’s Involvement in Mali: Strategic Opportunism" (2025). CMC Senior Theses. 3765.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3765
