Mali’s new law is a step in the right direction and a statement of the government’s intent to tackle statelessness in the country. By codifying a host of new protections and pathways to naturalization, Mali is offering the most marginalized in society the opportunity to establish a nationality and witha itmore asecure future.
While the law appears progressive on paper, implementation remains the real test given Mali’s ongoing security challenges and limited administrative capacity. The country still faces persistent obstacles, including inadequate data collection, low public awareness, and constrained financial resources that could undermine these efforts.