Mali–Niger border

[1] Beginning at the tripoint with Burkina Faso, the border proceeds in an irregular line eastwards, cutting across the Niger river, with a series of straight lines proceeding eastwards to a point just north of the Mata Lekya well in Niger.

The process culminated in the Berlin Conference of 1884, in which the European nations concerned agreed upon their respective territorial claims and the rules of engagements going forward.

These areas fell under the control of the federal colony of French West Africa (Afrique occidentale française, abbreviated AOF).

[3][2] As the movement for decolonisation grew in the post-Second World War era, France gradually granted more political rights and representation for its African territories, culminating in the granting of broad internal autonomy to each colony in 1958 within the framework of the French Community.

[9] Travel to the border region is discouraged by third party governments owing to the high incidence of kidnap and criminality, and the ongoing instability resulting from the Tuareg rebellions and the insurgency in Mali.