The National Credit Council of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) has highlighted a significant improvement in Mali’s foreign trade and robust banking liquidity.
This performance is driven by a substantial trade surplus, largely underpinned by gold exports.
Monday’s session was chaired by the Malian Minister of Economy and Finance, Alousséni Sanou, and attended by Council members and BCEAO officials in Mali.
The discourse focused on the operational status of the banking system, credit trends, and financing prospects for the private sector.
According to customs data compiled by the National Institute of Statistics, Mali recorded a trade surplus of 418.9 billion CFA francs in the fourth quarter of 2025. This marks a sharp recovery from the 344.3 billion deficit reported in the previous quarter.
Total exports reached 1,286.4 billion CFA francs, compared to 867.4 billion in imports, resulting in a coverage ratio of 148.3%.
This economic improvement is heavily reliant on the mining sector.
Non-monetary gold accounted for 91% of total exports during the period, reaffirming the precious metal’s critical role in the nation’s foreign exchange earnings. The primary export destinations were South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Australia.
While these figures highlight a strong performance, analysts note that Mali’s export profile remains largely dependent on gold revenue, leaving the trade balance vulnerable to fluctuations in the metal’s global market price.
Mali’s financial landscape currently comprises 14 banks and 3 financial institutions. Authorities assessed the system’s liquidity levels as “satisfactory,” even as private sector financing remains a central priority for sustaining economic momentum.
According to the latest projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF): the GDP is projected at 5.4% for 2026 and the domestic credit is expected to rebound following the contraction witnessed in 2025.
For the Malian authorities, these indicators reflect a stabilising macroeconomic environment.
However, the persistent challenge of long-term economic diversification remains a key concern for policy makers.
MD/te/Sf/lb/as/APA