Shock in the world of French culture following a government decision to suspend all artistic cooperation with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. This measure, which took effect on August 7, prohibits the obtaining of visas for nationals of these countries and requests the suspension of current cooperation projects.
This directive comes from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and it arouses great concern among cultural stakeholders. Indeed, many Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabé artists find themselves deprived of the possibility of performing in France and collaborating with French cultural institutions.
This unprecedented decision was seen as a break with the tradition of openness and dialogue of French culture abroad. Cultural professionals denounce a policy of prohibition which goes against the values of freedom and exchange supported by the artistic environment.
The consequences of this measure are already starting to be felt on the programming of theaters and festivals. Artists who had been included in the cast of certain shows now find themselves unable to participate, leading to last-minute programming changes.
This situation also provokes reactions within the artists themselves, who feel unfairly penalized. Odile Sankara, a Burkinabè artist, will not be able to attend the Francophonies festival due to this suspension of visas. This decision is experienced as an indirect deprogramming and endangers the coherence and quality of artistic creations.
Faced with these reactions, the Ministry of Culture attempted to clarify its directives by specifying that no deprogramming was requested and that only artists who had not yet obtained a visa were concerned. However, these clarifications are not enough to allay the concerns and reactions of the artistic community.
This suspension of cultural cooperation with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso raises many questions. What are the French government’s motivations for such a decision? What will be the lasting consequences for artistic relations between France and these countries? The artistic community awaits answers and hopes for a constructive dialogue to find solutions that respect the values of freedom and cultural diversity.