The Sahel Military Regimes’ Anti-Western Discourse: The Case of Mali

This study analyzes the anti-Western rhetoric in the communiques of the military transitional government in Mali read on the Office de Radio et de Télévision du Mali (ORTM) within the framework of Teun Adrian Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive discourse analysis theory. The second coup d’état in Mali in May 2021 led to the eviction of civilian elements from the transitional government and the failure to hold the promised elections. Under regional and international pressure, the anti-Western discourse, particularly anti-French, became the official discourse of the Malian military authority. The research argues that this discourse reflects a pragmatic approach at national, regional, and international level and is structured around the themes of terrorism, state sovereignty, and neocolonialism.