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Doha – Mali announced its withdrawal from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Tuesday, following similar decisions by Niger and Burkina Faso the day before. The move marks another break with France by the military-led Sahelian countries.
“Mali cannot remain a member of an organization whose actions are incompatible with constitutional principles founded on state sovereignty,” the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in an official letter announcing the withdrawal.
The three countries, founding members of the OIF since its creation in Niamey in 1970, had previously been suspended from the organization following military coups.
Mali’s suspension came in August 2020 after the overthrow of elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who had led the country since 2013. The OIF had demanded Keita’s release and “the establishment of a transitional government led by civilian authority as soon as possible.”
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – accused the Paris-based organization of becoming “a politically manipulated instrument.”
They argued that the OIF “instead of supporting these countries in achieving their peoples’ legitimate objectives, has distinguished itself by selectively applying sanctions based on geopolitical considerations and disregard for their sovereignty.”
The exit from the OIF follows profound shifts in Mali’s relationship with the French language. In July 2023, French was downgraded from the country’s official language to a “working language” under a new constitution.
Meanwhile, multiple traditional languages spoken in Mali were elevated to official status. Of Mali’s population of over 23 million, approximately 3.7 million are French speakers.
The three Sahelian countries have been systematically distancing themselves from French influence. In December 2024, Mali renamed several streets in Bamako that had previously honored French colonial figures.
Similar symbolic changes occurred in Niger, where the “Place de la Francophonie” was renamed “Place de l’Alliance des Etats du Sahel.”
This latest decision succeeds the three countries’ January 2024 withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they accused of being subservient to France – a decision that became effective last January.
Having severed ties with France and European partners, these military-led nations have grown increasingly closer to Moscow.
The OIF, which now counts 90 member states, upholds its mission to promote “French language and cultural and linguistic diversity,” as well as “peace, democracy and human rights,” and “support for education”
Despite mediation attempts by West African leaders, including recent visits by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama to the three states, the Sahelian alliance has maintained its stance of sovereignty and continued its political realignment away from traditional French influence.
