A recent report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reveals that illegal logging in Mali generated approximately $13.8 million between 2019 and 2021, supporting extremist organizations such as Jama’a Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) or the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM).
These groups, affiliated with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, exploit unregulated logging to finance their operations and strengthen their control over Malian territory.
In regions like Mopti, Ségou, and Timbuktu, GSIM has used this illegal economy to become a dominant force, contributing to the loss of over 82 percent of Mali’s forest cover since 1960.
Since 2022, GSIM has charged access fees of about $8 per month or per load of wood, consolidating their control and establishing a stable source of income.
This activity positions them as protectors of local interests against bandits and other threats.
The ISS report also highlights corruption’s role in sustaining this illicit trade, with forestry officials and Malian authorities often ignoring illegal logging and timber export, particularly of the protected rosewood species, Kosso.
To counter this threat, the ISS recommends increased international cooperation to revitalize the 2015 Algiers peace agreement and address the grievances of Tuareg separatist groups. Stricter regulation of logging and a fight against corruption are essential to limiting the influence of JNIM.