MALI FEDERATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A001200080009-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 7, 2002
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: August 24, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2002/01/39' ROP79R00890A001200080009-7
[CSC BRIEFING
MALI FEDERATION
24 August 1960
Senegal's secession on 20 August from Mali Federation--only two months
independent--raises possibility of new disorders in West Africa as well
as serious new problems for France and UN.
II, Senegal's withdrawal followed period of rising tension with Soudanese
leaders over allocation of top administrative posts and control of foreign
policy, and has aroused tough reaction in Soudan.
A. Secessionists led by Premier Dia and Leopold Senghor are firmly es-
tablished in Dakar, setting up own governmenj,and asking for foreign
recognition.
B. Most Senegalese leaders in agreement, but opposition extremist groups
in southern Senegal may cause trouble.
C. Soudanese officials and Radio Soudan severely condemn Senegalese ac-
tion, and may order Soudanese residents in Senegal to provoke trouble.
[II. International aspects could assume considerable importance.
A. Mali disintegration a blow to French Community.
1. Paris officially neutral, and De Gaulle has offered his good
offices to resolve crisis or establish new relationship.
2. Although Mali Premier Keita has stated he will "probably" go to
U151T~~
Paris (where Dia Mow earlier this week), he may well renege,
and meanwhile has been attacking the French attitude as equivalent
to backing for Senegal.
B. Both Senegal and Mali government of Keita trying to involve UN.
1. Senegal has asked for admission as separate nation.
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 Approved For Release 2002/ - 79R00890A001200080009-7
2. Keita has asked US to transmit request to UN Secretary General
for immediate meeting of Security Council--claims a threat to
world peace--and for dispatch of UN troops.
a. Keita has virtually no troops to force Senegalese com-
pliance. Most of Mali's 2,000 gendarmes and 5,000-man army
composed of Senegalese; nearly 600 of Mali's best troops are
with UN in Congo; 7,000 French Community troops in Dakar
(with considerable French element) observing strict neutralit3
C. USSR and Eastern Europeans, already attacking Paris for backing
"Senegalese puppet," claim situation resembles Belgian action in back-
ing Katanga in Congo crisis.
D. Most African states probably opposed to Senegalese plea for recogni-
tion.
IV. Break-up of Mali Federation might throw poverty-ridden Soudan into arms
of Guinea.
A. Land-locked Soudan has few economic resources.
B. In the past there has been considerable political rapport be-
tween Soudanese nationalist extremists and Guinea's Sekou Tour6.
C. Soudanese minister of interior reportedly visited Conakry in early
August to commit Mali Federation to union with Ghana-Guinea and may
have also arranged for Soudanese-Guinea union if Senegal seceded.
1. Most Senegalese leaders are pro-French in orientation, and the
question of alignment with Guinea--raised 'by the Soudanese
minister's visit to Conakry--may well have been a large
factor in secession.
Approved For Release 2002/01/30 : CIA-RDP79R00890A001200080009-7