9 7 5 ) ▁became ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁▁ ▁Niger , ▁independent ▁on ▁ 3 ▁August ▁ ▁Upper ▁Vol ta ▁( ren amed ▁to ▁Bur k ina ▁F aso ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ), ▁independent ▁on ▁ 5 ▁August ▁ ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁( C ô te ▁d ' I vo ire ), ▁independent ▁on ▁ 7 ▁August ▁ ▁Ch ad , ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁August ▁ ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic , ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁August ▁ ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Congo ▁( Bra zz av ille ), ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ ▁Gab on , ▁independent ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ ▁Maur it ania , ▁independent ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ ▁These ▁countries ▁remained ▁within ▁the ▁French ▁sphere ▁of ▁influence , ▁particularly ▁in ▁economic ▁terms . ▁France ▁also ▁bro ker ed ▁political ▁agre ements ▁with ▁the ▁M ali ▁Federation ▁and ▁Mad agas car , ▁wa iving ▁the ▁mand ate ▁that ▁departure ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁Community ▁would ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁political ▁t ies ▁( as ▁it ▁had ▁for ▁Guinea ). ▁French ▁companies ▁thus ▁accepted ▁the ▁arrangement , ▁because ▁they ▁would ▁remain ▁well - position ed ▁to ▁profit ▁from ▁the ▁newly ▁independent ▁countries — which ▁also ▁continued ▁to ▁use ▁colonial ▁( C FA ) ▁fran cs . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁constitution s ▁created ▁by ▁these ▁countries ▁use ▁some ▁ideas ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁Constitution , ▁including ▁values ▁of ▁dem ocracy ▁and ▁universal ▁rights ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁system ▁with ▁a