Mali has officially launched the 30th edition of its Month of Solidarity and the Fight against Exclusion with a visit by President of the Transition Assimi Goïta to the country’s oldest resident, Mr. Namory Keïta, at his home in Djicoroni Para, Bamako, on Friday, October 10, 2025.
The ceremony, which marks a cornerstone of Mali’s national social policy, was attended by Minister of Health and Social Development Assa Badiallo Touré, the governor of the Bamako district, and representatives from public social protection agencies. Sponsors of this year’s thematic weeks were also present.
Established in 1995 and formalized by decree in 2001, the Month of Solidarity aims to strengthen social cohesion, foster intergenerational support, and assist the most vulnerable segments of society.
Each year, the programme focuses on specific groups, including the elderly, women, children, youth, and people with disabilities.
The theme for 2025 is “Solidarity in cultural diversity, the basis of an inclusive society.”
At 113 years old, Mr. Namory Keïta is now recognized as the oldest person in the Bamako district. Born around 1912, he has eleven children and around twenty grandchildren and has been actively involved in the life of his community for decades. Following the death of the previous dean, Maïmouna Sangaré, in October 2024 at the age of 115, Mr. Keïta assumed the symbolic role of the district’s eldest citizen.
During the visit, President Goïta presented Mr. Keïta with a basket of cola, a ram, a blanket, a prayer mat, a rosary, and a symbolic envelope. The president offered wishes for long life and sought the elder’s blessings for peace and stability in the nation. In turn, Mr. Keïta prayed for the president, national cohesion, and collective well-being, while the neighborhood imam delivered blessings underscoring Mali’s cultural respect for seniority.
Mali has long placed social gerontology at the heart of its public policy.
The Maison des Aînés in Bamako, established in 2002, provides social, cultural, and medical support for the elderly, complemented by free medical assistance schemes.
Through initiatives like the Month of Solidarity, Mali maintains a strong intergenerational connection, symbolically linking living memory to national social action and reinforcing the country’s commitment to inclusion.
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