Like the other regions of the country, the National Day of Regained Sovereignty was celebrated in the conference room of the Chamber of Commerce of Timbuktu on Saturday, January 14, 2023. It was chaired by the Minister of Handicrafts, Culture, Hotel Industry and Tourism, Andogoly GUINDO. For the occasion, he was surrounded by the governor of the Region, the mayor, the prefect, the president of the interim authority, the representative of the CNT and the Commander of defense zone n°5. All the sensitivities of the region also took part in this day now written in the annals of the history of Mali. And it will be celebrated every year.

The population of the City of 333 Saints came out massively to magnify this first edition, placed under the theme “Recovered Sovereignty for the Re foundation of Mali”.

According to the Minister, the objective of this day is to engrave in the collective consciousness, the patriotic feeling and to revive in each citizen the stubborn faith in the resilience of our people. He said the new Mali will be built on this new spirit, on dignity and honor. “The new Mali will be built on the foundation of our cultural heritage,” added Andogoly GUINDO.

This meeting between the Minister of Culture and the living forces of Timbuktu was also an opportunity to share information and recommendations to further improve the economic and cultural development of peace in the region.

The Minister of Culture stressed that January 14, 2023, showed the eyes of the world that the people of Mali are a people, who have a glorious past, a fabulous, powerful past. He thanked on behalf of the highest authorities the resilient people of Mali for their high sense of patriotism. It is in this context that the president of the transition instructed 3 principles guiding public action in Mali. It is about respect for sovereignty, respect for strategic choices and the choice of partners made by Mali and taking into account the vital interests of the Malian people in the decisions taken, Minister GUINDO concluded.

As a reminder, on January 9, 2023, the Malian people were unfairly sanctioned by ECOWAS and UEMOA, for having made the legitimate choice, in accordance with the recommendations of the National Re foundation Conference, to carry out decisive political and institutional reforms before organize elections in order to establish lasting stability. More than 4 million Malians responded on January 14, 2023, to the call of the president of the transition to denounce these illegal, illegitimate and inhuman sanctions.

The president of the transition Assimi GOITA decided during the session of the Council of Ministers of November 30, 2023, to institute the National Day of Regained Sovereignty in memory of the great mobilization of Malians against the sanctions of these regional organizations.

Source: MALIAN ARMED FORCES