BAMAKO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Mali has decided to withdraw from the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced in a statement on Tuesday.

"Mali cannot remain a member of an organization whose actions are incompatible with the constitutional principles that guide public governance in Mali, principles founded on state sovereignty, the sovereign choices of the people, and the defense of their interests," the statement emphasized.

The OIF has engaged in a "selective application of sanctions" against Mali and shown "disregard" for its "sovereignty" since the beginning of the transition following the coup of Aug. 18, 2020, the statement added. It also noted that Mali, as a founding member of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT), which later became the OIF, has "significantly contributed to the establishment and strengthening" of the Francophone organization.

Mali was suspended from the OIF in August 2020 after the coup that overthrew the late President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who had been in power since 2013.

Headquartered in Paris, France, the OIF's mission, according to its fundamental charter, is to promote "the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity, peace, democracy, and human rights," as well as to "support education." Enditem

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