Land disputes now constitute a major portion of litigation in Mali, to the point of becoming the primary concern for citizens during democratic processes.
In this context, the judicial authorities have initiated talks on the creation of a specialised judicial division dedicated to handling land cases.
On December 16, 2025, in Bamako, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights launched a consultation workshop focused on draft legislation for the establishment of this land judicial division.
The meeting was held in the ministry’s conference room, with representatives from public institutions, central government departments, regional administrative authorities, and stakeholders involved in land management in attendance.
At the opening of the workshop, the Secretary General of the Ministry, Boubacar Sidiki Diarrah, emphasised that land management is a major concern today, one that could affect social peace and national cohesion.
Figures provided by the judicial services confirm the scale of the problem. Land disputes represent nearly 40 percent of cases handled by the judicial system and up to 90 percent by administrative
courts.
This situation results in a proliferation of conflicts, lengthy procedures, and sometimes contradictory decisions, against a backdrop of overlapping customary, administrative, and judicial norms.
This trend was confirmed a few days earlier, on December 10, 2025, during the last session of the Democratic Dialogue Forum. Land issues were the most frequently raised by citizens, ahead of other social concerns, reflecting a strong expectation for a structured institutional response.
The recommendations from this session emphasised, in particular, the need to combat land speculation and strengthen transparency in land management.
The future land judicial centre, currently in the planning phase, is presented as a response to these dysfunctions. With civil, administrative, and criminal jurisdiction, it would aim to centralise the handling of land cases, specialise magistrates, and harmonise court decisions.
Judicial authorities indicate that the consultation workshop is intended to enrich the texts before their finalization. The stated objective is to provide the country with a judicial mechanism adapted
to a now central issue, directly linked to social stability and public trust in the justice system.
MD/ac/fss/as/APA