Following Burkina Faso and Niger, Mali has undertaken efforts to rename streets and squares in its capital, removing French colonial names.
Mali, following the lead of Burkina Faso and Niger, decided on Wednesday to rename streets and squares in its capital, shedding the remnants of French colonial names.
Under a decree signed by the junta leader, streets in Bamako bearing the names of figures from the French colonial administration were rechristened.
Cedeao Avenue (the French acronym for the Economic Community of West African States or ECOWAS) now carries the name of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the new strategic confederation formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
In total, nearly 25 names were changed, including boulevards, streets, squares, and public institutions.
Niger renames historical landmarks
Niger and Burkina Faso have also made several changes to street and monument names over the past two years.
In October, Niger renamed numerous historic sites in its capital, Niamey, that previously referenced its former colonial ruler, France.
Mali has been under military rule since consecutive coups in 2020 and 2021.
Under Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali severed long-standing alliances with European partners and its former colonial power, France, pivoting towards Russia and the Wagner paramilitary group for support.
