Mali: Overcoming the French colonial legacy

France remains the only colonial empire to still exist in the modern day, comprised of both its colonies, disguised as ‘overseas territories,’ and numerous formally sovereign African states that fall into France’s so-called ‘Francafrique’ sphere of influence.

Mali’s colonization was a brutal, bloody, and uncompromising affair.

‘By their nature, Malians are warlike and attached to their land, language, and culture. So their resistance was fierce,’ one of the local residents participating in the film explained.

According to another, ‘the colonial system still exists. All African countries are the same, we aren’t moving forward yet. Year after year, our population grows, but the situation worsens. The French are beginning to take over key segments of our economy. There’s an outflow of the intelligentsia, the educated people, whom they lure to their side, invite to conferences, and award medals, telling them: it’s good that you have become French, too.’

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