This post discusses the political history of Mali from the Iron Age, the Mali Empire, colonization, independence and politics of Mali.
Mali is located in Africa. The borders of Mali are those of French Sudan, drawn in 1891. They are artificial, and unite parts of the larger Sudan region with parts of the Sahara. As a consequence, Mali is a multi ethnic country, with a majority of its population consisting of Mandé peoples.
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Mali’s history is dominated by its role in trans-Saharan trade, connecting West Africa and the Maghreb. The Malian city Timbuktu is exemplary of this: situated on the southern fringe of the Sahara and close to the Niger River, it has played an important role in the trans-Saharan trade from the 13th century on, with the establishment of the Mali Empire, Had no power in the West Africa after this the Songhai Empire started growing.
EARLIER IRON AGE
A series of early cities and towns were created by Mande peoples related to the Soninke people, along the middle Niger River (in Mali) including at Dia which began from around 900 BC, and reached its peak around 600 BC, and at Djenné-Djenno, which was occupied from around 250 B.C to around 800 AD.Djenné-Djenno comprised an urban complex consisting of 40 mounds within a 4 kilometer radius. The site is believed to exceed 33 hectares (82 acres), and the town engaged in both local and long-distance trade During Djenné-Djenno’s second phase (during the first millennium AD) the borders of the site expanded during (possibly covering 100,000 square meters or more), also coinciding with the development at the site of a kind of permanent mud brick architecture, including a city wall, probably built during the latter half of the first millennium AD using the cylindrical brick technology, “which was 3.7 meters wide at its base and ran almost two kilometers around the town”.
MALI EMPIRE
The Mali Empire was the largest empire in West Africa and profoundly influenced the culture of West Africa through the spread of its language, laws and customs.
Until the 19th century, Timbuktu remained important as an outpost at the southwestern fringe of the Muslim world and a hub of the trans-Saharan slave trade.
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Mandinka from c. 1230 to c. 1600. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became known for the wealth of its rulers, especially Mansa Musa I. The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Africa, allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the Niger River. It extended over a large area and consisted of numerous vassal kingdoms and provinces.
The Mali Empire began to weaken in the 15th century, but it remained dominant for much of the 15th. It survived into the 16th century, but by then had lost much of its former strength and importance.
AFTER THE EMPIRES (1591–1892)
The Songhai Empire eventually collapsed under the pressure from the Moroccan Saadi dynasty. The turning point was the Battle of Tondibi of 13 March 1591. Morocco subsequently controlled GAO, Timbuktu, Djenné (also seen as Jenne), and related trade routes with much difficulty until around the end of the 17th century. After the collapse of the Songhai Empire, no single state-controlled the region. The Moroccans only succeeded in occupying a few portions of the country, and even in those locations where they did attempt to rule, their hold was weak and challenged by rivals. Several small successor kingdoms arose.
FRENCH SUDAN (1892–1960)
Mali fell under French colonial rule in 1892. By 1893, the French appointed a civilian governor of the territory they called Soudan Français (French Sudan), but active resistance to French rule continued. By 1905, most of the area was under firm French control.
French Sudan was administered as part of the Federation of French West Africa and supplied labor to France’s colonies on the coast of West Africa. In 1958 the renamed Sudanese Republic obtained complete internal autonomy and joined the French Community. In early 1959, the Sudanese Republic and Senegal formed the Federation of Mali. On 31 March 1960 France agreed to the Federation of Mali becoming fully independent. On 20 June 1960 the Federation of Mali became an independent country and Modibo Keïta became its first President.
INDEPENDENCE (1960–PRESENT)
Following the withdrawal of Senegal from the federation in August 1960, the former Sudanese Republic became the Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960, with Modibo Keïta as president.
President Modibo Keïta, whose Sudanese Union-African Democratic Rally (US/RDA) party had dominated pre-independence politics (as a member of the African Democratic Rally) moved quickly to declare a single-party state and to pursue a socialist policy based on extensive nationalization. Keïta withdrew from the French Community and also had close ties to the Eastern bloc. A continuously deteriorating economy led to a decision to rejoin the Franc Zone in 1967 and modify some of the economic excesses. In 1962-64 there was Tuareg insurgency in northern Mali.
POLITICS OF MALI
Until the military coup of March 22, 2012 and a second military coup in December 2012, the politics of Mali took place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Mali is head of state with a presidentially appointed Prime Minister as the head of government, and of a multi-party system.
Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
In August 2018, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was re-elected for a new five-year term after winning the second round of the election against Soumaïla Cissé.
The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Mali an “authoritarian regime” in 2022.
On 18 August 2020 a coup d’état ousted the president and prime minister. On 25 September 2020, retired colonel and former defense minister Bah Ndaw was sworn in as Mali’s interim president.
On 15 April 2021, the transitional administration announced that legislative and presidential elections will be held on 27 February 2022. On 7 June 2021, Mali’s military commander Assimi Goita was sworn into office as the new interim president. On 30 December 2021, the transitional administration announced plans to delay the election by six months to five years in part because of security issues, leading to political opposition and sanctions.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS
Mali’s constitution provides for a multi-party democracy, with the only restriction being a prohibition against parties based on ethnic, religious, regional, or gender lines. In addition to those political parties represented in the National Assembly, others are active in municipal councils.