Australian gold miner Resolute Mining has agreed to pay Mali’s military-led government $160 million to settle a tax dispute. The agreement follows the recent detention of Resolute’s CEO Terry Holohan and two colleagues, who were arrested while traveling to Bamako for what was expected to be routine discussions.
Resolute will make an initial payment of $80 million from its cash reserves, with the remaining balance to be paid in installments. The settlement comes amid Mali’s increasing pressure on foreign mining companies to secure more revenue from the sector.
The government’s actions are seen as part of its broader strategy to assert greater control over mining operations, following the 2021 military coup and the introduction of a new mining code that raised the stake for state and local investors.
Mali’s military rulers have been adopting a more confrontational stance against Western interests, with the latest dispute highlighting tensions between the government and foreign operators in the country’s lucrative gold mining industry.
