Malian presence in France dates back as early as the mid-1900s when Mali was still a French colony. Many Malians emigrated from the
Senegal River area and from the economically disadvantaged
Kayes Region in the south of Mali. Laborers from Mali would travel to France under a system of rotating migration called
noria, staying in France for a few years before returning home, although this system was disrupted by a closure of the French borders in 1974 that led many migrant laborers to make more long-term residence in France. Malian immigrants in France send money home and create village solidarity funds which invest in the construction of mosques, schools, health centers, and other needed infrastructure in Mali. The number of Malians in France has remained relatively steady. In 2023, 150,000 Malians officially registered with their nation's French consulate, with potentially higher numbers if undocumented immigrants, joint nationals, and second- and third-generation Malians are included. Malians in France often occupy densely packed residences in the vicinity of
Paris, organized into rooms and floors by village of origin, particularly in
Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis. Malian ministers visiting Paris rarely miss the chance to visit the Bara residence in Montreuil, the historic political heart of the Malian diaspora. ==Challenges==