Mali has officially announced its departure from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a global body uniting French-speaking nations, stating that its membership contradicts the country’s constitutional principles.
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In a statement released by the foreign ministry, the Malian government emphasized that remaining within the OIF was no longer viable due to concerns over state sovereignty. The decision comes after the country’s suspension from the organization in August 2020, following a military coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Mali’s move aligns with similar decisions by Niger and Burkina Faso, its regional allies, who have also declared their withdrawal from the OIF. Like Mali, both nations had been suspended from the organization after experiencing military takeovers. The three countries have increasingly distanced themselves from international bodies once aligned with France, including their recent exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to establish their own Sahel confederation.
The OIF, headquartered in Paris, was established to promote the French language and foster cultural ties among its 93 member states. However, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have been actively reducing French influence in their territories, renaming streets and public institutions to remove colonial-era references.
