Independence Day of Mali
MALI celebrates its Independence Day today. It commemorates the day in 1960 when it gained independence from France as a republic. Independence Day is celebrated around the country with festivities that include hoisting of the country’s flag, public speeches, wreath-laying ceremonies, parades, and performances. The largest celebration is held in the capital and largest city of Bamako.
Mali was colonized by France in 1892. The colony was known as French Sudan and was administered as part of the Federation of French West Africa. The French obtained firm control over the area by 1905. French Sudan was renamed the Sudanese Republic in 1958, and was granted internal autonomy, joining the French Community. In 1959, Senegal and the Sudanese Republic formed the Federation of Mali. On June 20, 1960, the Federation became independent from France. Two months later, Senegal withdrew from the Federation. On September 22, 1960, the former Sudanese Republic gained independence as the Republic of Mali. Former Prime Minister of the Mali Federation Modibo Keïta became its first president.
Mali is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert, while the country’s southern part, where the majority of its inhabitants dwell, features the Niger and Senegal rivers.
Among the spectacular spots to see in the capital city of Bamako are: the Parc national du Mali, a beautiful park in the city; the National Zoo of Mali, which is home to a variety of animals such as lions, elephants, monkeys, turtles, ostriches, pelicans, and a variety of fish species; the botanical gardens; and the Maison des Artisans, where leather goods and woodcarvings and gold and silver accessories are made and sold.
Mali is active in regional organizations such as the African Union. Working to control and resolve regional conflicts, such as in Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, is one of Mali’s major foreign policy goals.
We greet the People and Government of the Republic of Mali, headed by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, on the occasion of its Independence Day Anniversary.