CSS Launches Competition To Create Official Anthem, Strengthen Pan-African Identity

The Confederation of Sahel States (CSS) has launched a nationwide competition to create its official anthem, a step in consolidating the young regional bloc’s identity.

The announcement was made by Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Communication, Culture, Arts, and Tourism, which is spearheading the initiative.

This submission call is open primarily to Burkinabe citizens, including musicians, composers, and artists. It aims to produce a stirring musical piece that embodies the CSS’s founding principles: sovereignty, patriotism, solidarity, fraternity, resilience, and a commitment to endogenous development.

The Confederation, formed as an alliance in September 2023 and formalised as a Confederation in July 2024, has already adopted a common flag, logo, and motto. The anthem is expected to be the final piece of its symbolic foundation.

Participants are expected to create an original composition between 1 minute 20 seconds and 2 minutes in length. According to the memo seen, the anthem is expected to strike a balance between tradition and modernity, with a memorable, singable melody adaptable for various formal and cultural occasions. Lyrics may be in French or any of the official languages of the member states and should convey a poetic, concise, and unifying message.

Applicants must submit a four-part harmonised musical score, an audio recording (in MP3 or WAV format), formatted lyrics, and an explanatory note outlining their artistic vision. Submissions are due by April 22, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., either in person at the National Conservatory of Arts (formerly INAFAC), regional offices, or via email.

A panel of music and cultural heritage experts will evaluate the entries based on artistic quality, relevance to CSS values, and accessibility for performance by choirs and other musical groups. Following a national preselection in Burkina Faso, the top entry will advance to a final selection phase involving the three CSS member states.

The competition offers no financial reward. Instead, the selected anthem will become the intellectual property of the CSS, symbolising civic duty and regional pride.

The CSS includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These countries have increasingly pursued regional integration and self-determination in recent years, particularly following tensions with international partners and a pivot toward pan-African solidarity.

This competition reflects the Confederation’s broader mission of building a shared cultural and political identity rooted in African values and sovereignty.

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