 Mali drops French as its official language. Mali has been a French colony since the 19th century, and French has been the official language of the country ever since. However, in recent years, there has been growing resentment towards France and Mali, due to a number of factors, including France's perceived military and political interference in Mali's affairs. This resentment came to a head in 2020, when a military coup overthrew the Malian government. The coup leaders promised to hold elections in 2022, but they have since delayed the elections, citing security concerns. This has further angered many Malians, who feel that France is preventing the country from holding free and fair elections. In June 2023, Mali held a referendum on a new constitution. The new constitution dropped French as the official language of Mali, and instead gave official language status to 13 other national languages. French will still be used as the working language of the government, but it will no longer be the official language of the country. The decision to drop French as the official language of Mali was made by the country's military junta. The junta has said that the decision was made in order to promote national unity and to give more prominence to the country's other languages. The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have welcomed it as a step towards greater independence from France, while others have criticized it as a move that will make it more difficult for Mali to communicate with the outside world. It remains to be seen what the long-term implications of this decision will be. However, it is clear that it is a significant development in Mali's recent history. The 13 other national languages that have been given official language status in Mali are Bangbara, Bozo, Dogen, Fulfold, Hausa, Malink, Mandinka, Senink, Tamashik, Kesank, Minyanka, Senufo, and Songhai. The decision to drop French as the official language of Mali has been praised by some African leaders who have seen it as a step towards greater African unity. The decision has also been criticized by some French politicians who have accused the Malian junta of trying to isolate the country from the West. It is still too early to say what the long-term implications of this decision will be. However, it is clear that it is a significant development in Mali's recent history. The constitution is viewed as crucial for rebuilding the nation after years of turbulence. Previously, Mali had witnessed two additional coups, creating a sense of uncertainty and delay in holding elections, which were postponed from February 2022 to February 2024. This decision by Mali to shift away from the French comes at a time of growing anti-French sentiments in West Africa due to perceived military and political interference. Relations between Paris and Bamako have soared over accusations of military failures against jihadists and allegations of political interference. In August, France concluded its nine-year military operation in Mali, withdrawing its last troops from the country that aimed to combat armed groups. Late last year, the military government of Mali ordered all NGOs, including those funded by France, to halt operations in response to Paris' decision to suspend development aid to Bamako due to concerns about Mali's alleged cooperation with the Wagner-Russian private military company.