Following in the footsteps of its fellow Alliance of Sahel State members (AES); Niger, Mali has decided also to exit the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIC).
- Mali has decided to exit the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIC).
- Mali cited selective sanctions and disregard for its sovereignty as reasons for the exit.
- The three countries of the Alliance of the Sahel States, including Mali, have shown dedication to the OIF as founding members.
As per the Malian Foreign Ministry via a letter to French diplomacy, Mali has decided to leave the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIC), a coalition of French-speaking nations, that mirrors the idea of the British Commonwealth.
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“Since the beginning of the transition, instead of helping Mali realize the legitimate aspirations of its people, the OIF has been characterized by the selective application of sanctions and disregard for Mali’s sovereignty,” the letter disclosed.
According to the ministry, as reported by Sputnik, the West African country has consistently shown its dedication to the principles and objectives upheld by the OIF as one of its founding members.
“Mali cannot remain a member of an organization whose actions are incompatible with the constitutional principles that define state activity in Mali, based on the sovereignty of the state, the sovereign choice of the people, and the defense of their interests,” the letter read.
The three countries that make up the Alliance of the Sahel States, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, all of which opted to exit its former regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, “inspired by the ideals of rapprochement between peoples through multilateral cooperation based on the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity and dialogue between civilizations,” actively participated in the creation of an agency that would become the OIF at the Niamey Summit on March 20, 1970.
This was made known by the Foreign Ministers of Confederation of Sahel States (AES) via a joint statement on Tuesday when Mali announced its withdrawal from the OIC.
“During the 55 years of the existence of the Francophonie, these three countries, which today form the AES, have made a tireless and significant contribution to the creation and strengthening of this organization,” it read.
On Monday, Niger decided to leave Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.
“The Nigerien government has independently decided to withdraw Niger from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie,” Niger’s foreign ministry said.
