Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization;

Mr. Minister for the Refoundation of the State;

Mr. Representative of the Constitutional Court

Mr. Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Co-construction workshop of the 4th Republic;

Dear partners of the synergy of CSOs for deep reforms in Mali;

Honorable participants of the living forces of the nation;

Distinguished guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen, in your titles, ranks and qualities, all protocols observed.

Here we are at the end of our work and at the start of strong actions for a new generation of Mali.

It was three days of intense discussions, reflection in courtesy and frankness on a new Mali responding to the challenges of the sovereign Malian people of today and especially of tomorrow.

We came from all regions of Mali

We are aged from 19 to 73 years old with more than 60% of young women.

We come from all socio-professional bodies (Lawyers, Farmers, Mathematicians, Doctors, Journalists, Sociologists, Students, Housewives, etc.)

And we are secular!

Our reflections focused on the 122 articles of the constitution of February 25, 1992. No Chapter, no article, no sentence and no word escaped our critical and objective gaze.

Ladies and gentlemen

At the end of our work, you made 53 proposals for modification of the preamble and the 122 articles of the constitution of February 25, 1992. We also made as many strong, relevant and necessary recommendations to arrive in a new generation of Mali that meets the aspirations today and especially tomorrow.

Honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen

Our reflections during these three days of hard work called into question most of the provisions of the current constitution, proof that more than a revision, a simple modification, a fundamental change, carried by the sovereign people of Mali in all its diversity, without discrimination, is necessary.

The ambition and greatness of a people is judged by its ability to undertake and carry out projects generally considered impossible.

Our reflections clearly show that the current constitution, even the 3rd republic, no longer meets the demands of the people of Mali suddenly and that it is now imperative to move to a 4th republic.

The difficulties that this may face should in no way affect our ambition to think about and build a better Mali.

Honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen

I would like to thank you in a very special way for your commitment, patriotic, exemplary, dignified and above all daring, which made it possible to achieve these proposals, which we will bring to the competent authorities as a contribution to the construction of the 4th Republic.

Thank you to all the participants, the experts, the rapporteurs, the organizers who made this work a success.

Mr. Chairman of the steering committee, dear eldest Dr. Abdoulaye SALL, thank you for the honor granted to us by accepting to preside, to frame and guide our steps. Your Expertise is invaluable, may God Bless you!

I reiterate my sincere thanks to OSIWA for its financial support which enabled our synergy to organize this workshop.

I would also like to thank the Malian authorities through the ministries in charge of the refoundation and the administration of the territory as well as all the state organizations present here for having agreed to contribute to this exercise. Believing that these contributions will be useful to you, we count on your commitment to take into account the needs of the people and reaffirm our full availability to support your work for the benefit of the sovereign people of Mali.

God bless you

May God bless Mali