Malian authorities carried out a cabinet reshuffle on 12 February 2026, maintaining the government’s size at 28 members while introducing several adjustments and promotions, including the elevation of three ministers to the rank of Minister of State.
General Sadio Camara, who retains the defence portfolio, Alousséni Sanou at Economy and Finance, and General Ismaël Wagué in charge of Reconciliation, Peace and National Cohesion were elevated to Minister of State status. The largely protocol distinction alters the internal hierarchy of the cabinet without changing their respective portfolios.
Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga will no longer combine his role with that of Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation. The position has been entrusted to Brigadier General Issa Ousmane Coulibaly. Yaya Gologo has been appointed Minister for State Refoundation, Ibrahima Samaké takes over Agriculture, and Tiémoko Traoré assumes the Energy and Water portfolio, replacing Boubacar Diané.
The rank of Minister of State is also used in other member countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). In Niger, the government formed in April 2025 includes General Salifou Mody as Minister of State for National Defence and General Mohamed Toumba as Minister of State for the Interior and Territorial Administration. In Burkina Faso, the government appointed in January 2026 likewise includes several Ministers of State, notably those overseeing Defence, Territorial Administration and Agriculture.
The reshuffle comes as Mali, under a transitional administration since 2020, continues its institutional restructuring process and deepens cooperation within the Alliance of Sahel States alongside Niger and Burkina Faso. The announced promotions reinforce the prominence of sovereign portfolios amid persistent security challenges and a reshaping of international partnerships.
MD/Sf/lb/as/APA