The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Mali, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Malian diplomatic relations at a gala reception held on Tuesday, December 30 in Bamako.
The ceremony was presided over by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Seydou Coulibaly, in the presence of staff from the Chinese Embassy and several distinguished guests. The reception began with the screening of a documentary film retracing 65 years of bilateral cooperation. The film revealed that the history of Sino-Malian cooperation is intertwined with that of Mali’s independence. For more than six decades, relations between the two countries have withstood internal and international challenges and have encompassed all areas of socioeconomic life. The third bridge in Bamako, inaugurated on September 22, 2010, remains a powerful symbol of this strong and enduring friendship.
China’s contribution to Mali’s socioeconomic development is considerable. This is reflected in the completion of over one hundred assistance projects, including sports stadiums (in Bougouni, San, etc.), the Mali Hospital, and the third bridge in Bamako. Furthermore, COMATEX and SUKALA, two industrial units co-financed and built by the two countries, contribute to increased tax revenue, job creation, and the strengthening of Mali’s economic autonomy.
Other infrastructure projects, such as roads, housing, electricity, and telecommunications, have also been carried out by Chinese companies. The most recent major symbol of this cooperation is the investment of several hundred million dollars in the construction of two lithium mines in the Bougouni region, creating thousands of jobs and positioning Mali among the leading African lithium-producing countries. The Chinese community living in Mali is estimated at over two thousand nationals, the majority of whom are employed by Chinese or Malian companies. China also remains very active in the health, hospitality, food service, and education sectors.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Seydou Coulibaly, praised the quality of diplomatic relations between the two countries, characterized, according to him, by friendship, trust, unity, and cooperation based on the principle of mutual benefit. He emphasized that Mali and China have developed fruitful exchanges in the agricultural, cultural, and educational sectors, as well as sustained diplomatic cooperation on the international stage, making China one of Mali’s most reliable partners.
He also welcomed the convergence of views between the two countries within international bodies and expressed the Malian authorities’ desire to further strengthen this cooperation in a climate of peace, unity, and solidarity. The gala reception concluded with a visit to a photographic exhibition retracing the key moments in the establishment and evolution of diplomatic relations between China and Mali.
