Mali Federation Fédération du Mali (French) | |||||||||||||
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1959–1960 | |||||||||||||
Motto: Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi | |||||||||||||
Anthem: National Anthem of The Mali Federation | |||||||||||||
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Status | Territory of France (1959–1960) | ||||||||||||
Capital | Dakar | ||||||||||||
Common languages | Arabic, French | ||||||||||||
Government | Federal republic within French Community (until 20 June 1960) | ||||||||||||
High Commissioner | |||||||||||||
• 1959–1960 | Jean Charles Sicurani | ||||||||||||
Premier and President (after 20 June 1960) | |||||||||||||
• 1959–1960 | Modibo Keïta | ||||||||||||
Vice Premier | |||||||||||||
• 1959–1960 | Mamadou Dia | ||||||||||||
Legislature | Federal assembly[1] | ||||||||||||
Historical era | Decolonization of Africa | ||||||||||||
4 April 1959 | |||||||||||||
20 June 1960 | |||||||||||||
20 August 1960[2] | |||||||||||||
Currency | CFA franc | ||||||||||||
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Today part of | Mali Senegal |
The Mali Federation (Arabic: اتحاد مالي) was a federation in West Africa linking the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (or French Sudan) for two months in 1960.[2] It was founded on 4 April 1959 as a territory with self-rule within the French Community and became independent after negotiations with France on 20 June 1960. Two months later, on 19 August 1960, the Sudanese Republic leaders in the Mali Federation mobilized the army, and Senegal leaders in the federation retaliated by mobilizing the gendarmerie (national police); this resulted in a tense stand-off, and led to the withdrawal from the federation by Senegal the next day. The Sudanese Republic officials resisted this dissolution, cut off diplomatic relations with Senegal, and defiantly changed the name of their country to Mali. For the brief existence of the Mali Federation, the premier was Modibo Keïta, who would later become the first President of Mali, and its government was based in Dakar, the eventual capital of Senegal.