Independence of Mali Federation

Date: June 20, 1960 • Location: Diawara, Senegal

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1960.

The Mali Federation gained independence from France, but dissolved into Mali and Senegal two months later.

The Mali Federation was a federation in West Africa that linked the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic for two months in 1960. 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 after independence, on 19 August 1960, Sudanese Republic leaders in the federation tried to take control by mobilizing the army, and Senegalese leaders in the federation retaliated by mobilizing the gendarmerie ; this resulted in a tense standoff, and Senegal withdrew from the federation the next day. Sudanese Republic officials resisted the dissolution of the federation, cut off diplomatic relations with Senegal, and defiantly changed the name of their country to the Republic of Mali. During the brief existence of the Mali Federation, Modibo Keïta, who later became the first president of Mali, served as federation premier, and the government was based in Dakar, the eventual capital of Senegal.