External Auditing of the Defence Sector in Mali: Challenges and Possibilities

External auditing is an important mechanism for holding government to account – one that is already ingrained within the functioning of the public sector, with existing capacities and mandates to tackle financial corruption. But this is only possible if external auditors have access to information about the finances of the institutions they are auditing.

As Mali’s military expenditure continues to grow, our report reveals significant weaknesses in the country’s external auditing system —marked by fragmented mandates, lack of transparency, and limited access to information.

When Mali’s military took power in 2021, after one of several military coups over the past decades, it promised to end pervasive corruption and improve a security situation worsened by both ethnic separatists and Islamist terrorists. Yet, Mali faces an ongoing failure of democratic accountability, which is reflected in the absence of institutional checks on its rapidly rising military spending: between 2020 and 2024, Mali’s military expenditure grew by 38%.

‘External Auditing of the Defence Sector in Mali: Challenges and Possibilities’ assesses the current state of external auditing in Mali, with a focus on its performance vis-à vis the defence and security sector. The report offers concrete recommendations to strengthen transparency and restore trust in public.

The report is available to read in French and English.