One Seamless People: the Mali Federation, 1959

As France relinquishes its hold on West Africa, the nations of French Sudan and Senegal come together to form the Mali Federation. Ensuring the stability of the Federation will be no easy task; the two nations have different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and little to unite them aside from a shared colonial experience and a future goal: to establish a secure federation that can not only survive, but prosper in its newfound independence. Delegates will grapple with the many challenges that stand in their way, including the federation’s reliance on the corrupt, precarious, and exploitative peanut farming and gold mining industries, the conflicting interests of agricultural and industrial laborers and wealthy landholders, and continued French influence and pressure. Will delegates have what it takes to keep the Mali Federation united and strong or will they succumb to foreign influence and internal disputes?