5th National Congress of the Communist Party of Maligalia

The 5th National Congress of the Communist Party of Maligalia was held in the historical Senghor Literature Hall between 7 and 11 September 1984. Over 2.500 delegates represented five million party members in all areas of the nation. The national congress is invoked by the General Secretary on the advice of the Central Committee and is held every five years. Preparations were made with the 10th Plenum of the 4th Central Committee, which lasted a week. After that, local and provincial party offices began electing delegates to participate in the congress.

The Congress obtained notoriety in the West and in the People's Republic of China due to the introduction of economic reforms, labelled as "Socialism with African Charatcheristics", and the general overhaul of the party leadership, electing new and young figures. Incumbent General Secretary Mamadou Dia, acknowledging that his candidacy would not gain enough support, resigned on 8 September 1984, and the Gao Prefecture Party secretary, Gebre Kidan, was elected as a replacement. The 5th Politburo, 5th Secretariat (including the Central Committee), and the Central Commission Office were all elected. The majority of hardline-conservative officials retired either for age reasons or politically motivated removals, as of the last directives of Mamadou Dia who privately realized the failure of the planned economic system and looked at China as a role model. Dia transitioned from being a orthodox communist to a prudent reformist. His new views and proposals were widely accepted inside the party apparatus, however, by the 4th Central Committee, "new leaders were required that would accompain the state and the party in this important change for our revolutionary society".