Mali has officially withdrawn from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), joining its junta-led allies, Niger and Burkina Faso, in severing ties with the French-speaking bloc.
In a letter to the French foreign ministry on Tuesday, Mali’s government stated that remaining in the OIF was incompatible with its principles of sovereignty.
“Mali cannot continue to be part of an organisation whose actions contradict the constitutional principles of state sovereignty,” the statement read.
Mali had already been suspended from the OIF in August 2020 following a military coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The organisation had called for his release and urged the swift establishment of a civilian-led transitional government.
The move comes just a day after Burkina Faso and Niger also announced their exit from the OIF. The three nations, which have distanced themselves from France and strengthened ties with Russia, have also left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to form their own Sahel alliance.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have also been erasing French colonial influence from their capitals, renaming nearly 25 streets and public spaces in Bamako alone.
The OIF, headquartered in Paris, aims to promote the French language and foster cooperation among its 93 member states. However, the growing anti-French sentiment in these Sahel nations signals a continued shift away from Francophone influence.
