Mali and Burkina Faso have taken a decisive step in breaking with their French colonial heritage. Both countries have amended their constitutions to downgrade the status of French and grant official status to their national languages.
In Bamako, the new Magna Carta approved by a large popular majority establishes that thirteen local languages, including Bambara, Fula and Dogon, will be considered official. French, used in the administration since independence in 1960, has been relegated to a working language for technical and diplomatic matters following President Goita's changes.
Ouagadougou has followed a parallel path. Captain Ibrahim Traoré's government has pushed through a reform that makes French an auxiliary language, while recognising the legal and political value of traditional languages. The measure is accompanied by other institutional changes, such as the extension of the powers of the Constitutional Council and the disappearance of the High Court of Justice.
Both governments justify this linguistic reconfiguration as an act of sovereignty. They argue that reliance on a foreign language limits citizen participation and hinders the construction of their own model of statehood.
The political background is obvious. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have expelled French troops in recent years and seek to strengthen their regional alliance. In addition, Bamako announced its exit from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie in March 2025, marking an even deeper estrangement from Paris.
These decisions reflect a broader trend in the Sahel: the reinforcement of national identities in the face of the influence of external powers. At the same time, the three countries are intensifying their ties with Moscow and promoting new formulas for regional integration.
Source: jeuneafrique.com; cidafucm.es