Fuel shortages choke humanitarian aid operations in Mali

The ongoing fuel crisis in Mali, exacerbated by a jihadist blockade on key roadways, is severely disrupting humanitarian efforts across the country. This dire situation is worsening living conditions for civilians and crippling critical aid operations in a nation already grappling with food insecurity and escalating violence.

Impact on critical aid routes

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), fuel shortages have significantly hampered relief operations in central and southern Mali, particularly in regions like Ségou, San, Koutiala, Mopti, and Bandiagara. These areas serve as vital links between Bamako and the northern regions plagued by insecurity and violence.

Humanitarian partners have been forced to scale back field missions, limiting mobile clinics to a 10-kilometer radius around their bases. Movement restrictions, roadblocks, and irregular checkpoints have led to the temporary suspension of several critical operations, leaving vulnerable populations without essential services.

Jihadist blockade cuts off fuel supply

Since September, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, has blocked fuel imports from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, the primary entry points for goods in this landlocked West African nation. This blockade has now extended to Bamako and most regions, plunging the country deeper into an energy and food crisis.

Léré isolated from humanitarian aid

In the Tombouctou region of northwestern Mali, the town of Léré, near the Mauritanian border, has been under restricted access since October 27. This measure, imposed by armed groups, has forced populations to flee to safer areas.

«This new restriction has displaced populations towards more secure zones», reports OCHA in its October humanitarian access dashboard. The agency adds that «aside from humanitarian actors already present, no other humanitarian organizations have access to the town».

The report highlights 50 access incidents across the country in October—a 13% increase from September. Explosive devices remain the primary threat, with 28 cases reported. Three direct attacks on humanitarian workers and nine kidnappings were also documented, particularly in the Ségou and Gao regions. In Douentza, two aid workers lost their lives when their boat capsized on the Niger River near Kagnimé village.

«These incidents compromise the safety of personnel and slow down field operations», warns OCHA. «The situation remains highly unpredictable, and logistical constraints—especially fuel shortages—further exacerbate access challenges for those in need».

Political repression deepens the crisis

This humanitarian crisis unfolds amid a tightening political climate. Since the 2020 coup led by General Assimi Goïta, the military junta has consolidated control over the state apparatus, indefinitely suspending presidential elections and dissolving all political parties in May 2025. A July law granted Goïta the power to extend his mandate «as many times as necessary until the country is pacified».

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has condemned this move, stating that it «closes the door to any democratic elections in the foreseeable future» and «weaponizes the law against dissent». Arrests of opposition figures and civilians have surged, including former Prime Minister Moussa Mara, who was detained in August and sentenced to prison for «undermining state credibility».

Armed violence has intensified, with attacks by jihadist groups like the GSIM and the local branch of ISIS targeting central and northern Mali, particularly near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger. Since April, Volker Türk’s office has documented «hundreds of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and kidnappings by all parties involved in the conflict».

Mali’s spiraling humanitarian emergency

With 6.4 million people—including 3.5 million children—in need of aid, Mali faces one of the world’s most severe food crises. The country is home to over 400,000 internally displaced persons and 335,000 refugees in neighboring countries. A recent UN report ranks Mali among the six most critical food insecurity crises globally, alongside Haiti, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen. The situation continues to deteriorate rapidly in vulnerable areas, compounded by the international community’s reduced engagement.

Refugee influx strains local resources

In the Koro district, near the Burkina Faso border, the arrival of nearly 50,000 Burkinabé refugees since April has doubled the local refugee population, placing immense pressure on limited resources.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has established a field office in Koro, operational since October 16, to enhance coordination and accelerate humanitarian responses. Mali now hosts over 150,000 refugees from Burkina Faso and Niger, fleeing both jihadist attacks and military counteroperations.