Education must serve as the primary defense against youth radicalization and jihadist recruitment in the Sahel, according to former Malian ambassador Dr. Oumar Keïta.
Keïta outlined these priorities during the 26th edition of the Forum de Bamako, held from November 5 to 7 at the Radisson Collection hotel, africapresse.paris reported. The gathering brought together regional specialists to debate educational reform, governance, and long-term stability across Mali.
During his tenure as Mali’s permanent delegate to UNESCO from 2014 to 2021, Keïta secured a $6 million funding package from South Korea dedicated to girls’ education.
He emphasized that financial barriers often force young girls out of school early, leaving them vulnerable.
“Les filles qui sont à Bamako, on les marie très tôt parce que leurs parents n’ont pas les moyens de les laisser à l’école,” Keïta told africapresse.paris.
Beyond basic schooling, Keïta pointed to institutional efforts he spearheaded to foster national unity. In 2015, he introduced a resolution at UNESCO’s Executive Board to support Mali’s reconciliation process following northern separatist conflicts, winning backing from over 100 member states.
The initiative established a dedicated UNESCO program focused on teaching peace culture to vulnerable youth.
Keïta warned that children as young as 13 or 14, left out of the formal education system and roaming the streets, remain prime targets for extremist groups offering minimal financial incentives to take up arms.
“Apprendre aux jeunes la culture de la paix doit être notre priorité,” Keïta told africapresse.paris, noting that education represents the most effective tool to combat terrorism.
Debate at the Bamako Forum also centered on preserving the intellectual capital generated over its 26-year history. Keïta urged organizers to compile and publish the official acts and recommendations of past editions.
While recommendations have traditionally been handed over to the head of state at Koulouba Palace, comprehensive public editions remain scarce. Keïta proposed establishing formal university presses in Mali to publish scholarly research, conference proceedings, and public debates addressing regional challenges such as migration and intercultural dialogue.
Resolving Mali’s ongoing security challenges requires confronting underlying identity and structural issues rather than treating them solely as political crises, Keïta argued. Drawing on historical context from his 2006 book Comprendre la crise malienne, he suggested that institutional models like federalism deserve open discussion without triggering fears of national partition.
“Le temps de la réconciliation est venu,” Keïta told africapresse.paris, adding that a planned forum in Paris in 2027 will further examine diplomatic dialogue between Africa and the West.