Mali's transitional government was reshuffled on Thursday, and several influential ministers - including the Minister of Defense - were promoted to Ministers of State, according to a statement read on national television.

The Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Sadio Camara, the Minister of Economy and Finance Alousseni Sanou and the Minister of Reconciliation, Peace and National Cohesion, General Ismaël Wagué, are elevated to the rank of Ministers of State.

In addition, four key departments - including Agriculture, Territorial Administration and Decentralization - are changing heads.

Thus, a brigadier general, Issa Ousmane Coulibaly, is appointed to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, which until now was headed by Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga, who held both positions.

"This reorganization reflects a desire for continuity but also for adaptation to current challenges," a communications official from the Presidency of the Republic told AFP.

Three new ministers have joined the government, heading the Ministries of Agriculture, Energy and Water, and State Reform, responsible for relations with institutions. Their predecessors have been dismissed.

The previous government had been put in place in November 2024.

This new government has six military officers (out of 28 ministers and one deputy minister) compared to five in the previous one.

Mali, a Sahelian country plagued by more than a decade of conflict and jihadist violence, has been ruled by a junta since two coups in 2020 and 2021. The military has taken repressive measures against the press and critical voices. They have also dissolved political parties and political organizations.

The Malian junta, led by General Assimi Goïta, had pledged to hand power back to civilians by March 2024 at the latest, but has since failed to keep that promise.

In July 2025, the military regime granted Mr. Goïta a five-year presidential mandate renewable "as many times as necessary" and without election.