US/Collective West: Too Late to Contain the Sahel Region! Geopolitical Trends

Hello everyone and welcome to Geopolitical Trends, where truth matters. There is a question few people are asking, but that might define the future of West Africa and perhaps global resource politics writ large. And that question is: why is the West, led by the United States, still so deeply concerned about the Sahel region? The answer isn't just about terrorism or stability. It's about gold. And what's unfolding is a dramatic shift in power, sovereignty, and control over the very resources that fuel the global economy. A big thank you to today's show sponsor, XCAP Ventures Inc. The Sahel, ground zero for gold and geopolitics, stretching across the width of Africa, just below the Sahara Desert. The Sahel is one of the world's poorest and yet most resource-rich regions. Countries like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso hold vast gold reserves. In fact, Burkina Faso is among Africa's top 5 gold producers. Mali produced over 72 tons of gold in 2023. Niger is not only rich in gold but also a strategic supplier of uranium, key for Western nuclear energy. Add to this mix the rise of artisanal and small-scale gold mining, employing millions and operating mostly outside a formal regulatory system. And what you get? You get a region where gold is both a lifeline and a target. The Alliance of the Sahel States, also known as l'Alliance des États du Sahel, or AES. In 2023, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso formed a powerful new bloc known as the Alliance of Sahel States. Many geopolitical analysts saw it as a challenge to the old order. And it was. Their goal is to break free from Western influence and reclaim control over their own natural resources. They began with bold steps: 1. Pushing for nationalization of gold mines. 2. Raising taxes and royalties on Western mining companies like Barrick, gold, and 3) cutting ties with France and expanding defense and economic relationships with Russia. Mali has gone as far as directly supporting Russia's paramilitary and economic partners, especially in the gold sector. This isn't just nationalism; it's a revolution in resource sovereignty. Then when you think about gold, the new battlefield, The alliance's move towards self-determination is no coincidence. The world is once again realizing the power of gold. As confidence in the US dollar erodes, global reserve shares falling from 73% in 2001 to around 58% in 2024, nations across the globe are scrambling for hard assets. In 2023, central banks bought over 1,000 tons of gold, the highest in over 70 years, and many of those tons are coming straight out of the Sahel region. But here is the twist. The same Western powers that depend on gold as a reserve asset are losing access to it. The Alliance of the Sahel States wants control. Russia wants influence. And the West, well, it still flies over the region, watching every move. Why the flight continues? Why is the United States still flying over Niger? Even after its military government kicked out French forces and began realigning with Russia? The answers are: gold, uranium, geopolitical leverage, and access to Africa's underbelly. It's too important to ignore. The Sahel region isn't just about terrorism anymore. It is about who gets to control the next chapter of global finance. In a multipolar world, controlling the supply chains for gold gives you not just money but monetary power. What this means for the world, you may ask? The shift unfolding in the Sahel region is not just a regional story; it's a global chessboard where gold is the king. 2. The Alliance of the Sahel States nations are asserting sovereignty but risk international isolation and instability. 3. Russia gains influence in Africa through gold, partnerships, and military support. 4. The West continues surveillance flights not to fight terrorists but to protect access, influence, and information. Meanwhile, global gold markets are increasingly shaped by political instability, not just economics. The future of gold is political. We are entering an era where gold is no longer just a commodity. It is a currency of power. The Alliance of Sahel States wants to break the cycle of neocolonial exploitation. Western power wants to retain access to resources without boots on the ground. Investors want stability. And the world wants gold. Whether it's in the skies over Niger or the mining fields Côte d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast, the future of gold will be written in a language of geopolitics, not just profits. So next time you hear about a US surveillance drone over the Sahel, ask yourself: is it about security, or is it about sovereignty, gold, and the balance of global power? This leads me to talk about today's sponsor, AxeCap Ventures Gold Inc., stock ticker GARLF. I want to present to you next, maybe for the first time ever, very important data. Must see this data and take you in depth on gold. I call it breakout moments for gold in charts. The bull markets in the 1970s, which was about 200% all-time high for gold, The 2000s bull market was just over 100 all-time highs. The present bull market has only seen 74 new all-time highs so far. While gold spot prices has seen a collective 180 new all-time highs in the past 25 years and has more than tenfold for a century-to-date appreciation of 1,233% from February 2001 lows of $255 to its price? The same cannot be said about the companies that explore for gold, develop projects, and operate mines. The gold mining industry has faced a critical crisis over the past 15 years. 1. From 2010 to 2025, exploration budgets have stagnated or declined. 2. Discoveries have plummeted between 1990 and 2023. 350 deposits containing 2.9 billion ounces were found, but only 29 occurred post-2010, with no main discoveries since 2016. 3. Global gold production has stagnated, with projection of a 17% supply drop by 2030. Existing mines are depleting faster than reserves are replenished. This underinvestment in new deposits is such a huge momentous driver for a likely supply crunch. Mines are depleting. It's a fact. No major new discoveries. That's another fact. I am incredibly bullish on gold. Wall Street investment bankers are even bolder than I am. About the future of gold. The last major bull market for gold-related companies occurred more than 13 years ago. While gold has appreciated by 75% from 2011, the GDXJ index has appreciated by 63%. After a decade of little to no activity, in gold M&A space, the sector is waking up. This past month, legendary hedge fund manager John Paulson agreed to acquire 50% of the underdeveloped Donlin Gold deposits in Alaska for about $1 billion. This is the best time, in my opinion, to be looking at companies that own large known deposits of gold in prime jurisdictions. The setup is gorgeous, by the way. Everything I just laid out brings me to today's sponsor, XCAP Ventures, stock ticker GARLF, whose insiders have been buying stocks in recent weeks, as I will show you. XCAP Ventures, once again stock ticker GARLF, was incorporated to make investments to rapidly capitalize on the distressed conditions of the gold industry. The management assumes that their assets, which are comprised of about 5.57 million ounces of gold equivalent resources in the measured, an indicated category, and an additional 1.5 million ounces inferred are valued around $6 an ounce, while peers are trading for 8 times as much, or about 700% more, could be re-rated. You heard it right. Start researching XCAP Ventures, stock ticker GARLF. Their thesis is based on the case studies of previous instances in which similar situations have led to meaningful appreciation. XCAP Ventures flagship converts projects in Nevada's Battle Mountain Trend a premier gold jurisdiction producing about 75% of US gold, is a standout. The project's October 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate reports about 5.57 million ounces of measured and indicated gold and about 142 million ounces inferred. With the drill program launched in March of this year, 2025. Insider purchases totaling $1.2 million in Q1 of 2025 signal strong management confidence. For example, on May 1st of this year, 2025, Mario Vitro, co-founder and director purchased 20,000 shares. On top of that, Tyrone Brethenbach, the second co-founder and a director, purchased about 50,000 shares. The day before that, which means April 30th, Mario purchased 10,000 shares. The day before that, 15,000 shares. And on April 28th, he purchased 25,000 shares. On April 25th, he purchased 110,000 shares. On the 24th, he also purchased 60,000 shares at a 15 cents Canadian dollar. Collectively, a total of 240,000 shares just on the last week of April. The team assembled to run XCAP Ventures, US stock ticker GARLF, have been involved in the discovery of over 20 million ounces of gold with previous endeavors. Here is the value proposition: advanced gold deposits are trading anywhere from $40 to $60 per ounce. XCAP Ventures is trading at $5 an ounce. The company is cashed up with about approximately $10 million. Peers trade at about $49 an ounce, that's US dollars, on average, while XCAP Ventures market cap translates to only $5 an ounce. Research XCAP Ventures, US stock ticker GARLF. The business model is simple: drill the properties in order to create the conditions for an exit at valuation comparable to the recent ones. Please do your research And remember, there is always risk in investments and there are no guarantees. Thank you.