Mali’s transition president, Assimi Goïta, has received a national justice reform report containing 218 recommendations aimed at modernizing the country’s judicial system and rebuilding public confidence in the courts. The recommendations emerged from the National Justice Forum, which brought together about 500 participants from across the legal and justice sectors. Adopted nine months ago, the proposals are expected to feed into Mali’s 2026–2035 Ten-Year Justice Sector Development Program. Key measures include improving the recruitment and training of magistrates and other justice professionals, strengthening performance evaluations, digitizing court procedures and criminal records, increasing internal oversight and improving prison conditions. The reforms come amid concerns over delays, legal costs and unequal treatment before the law. An Afrobarometer survey found that 52% of Malians trust the courts, while 57% believe people are frequently treated differently under the law.
Mali has already adopted a new Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure as part of broader efforts to modernize the justice sector. The government has also outlined a major investment program to improve judicial infrastructure and services. The next challenge will be implementation. Authorities must determine which of the 218 recommendations will receive priority, how they will be financed and how quickly they can be introduced. For many Malians, the success of the reforms will ultimately be measured not by the number of recommendations adopted, but by whether they lead to faster and more affordable justice, stronger accountability and equal treatment before the law.
