The planned march follows a statement from Malian MPs, calling on Mr Sarkozy to call off his "undesirable" visit.

Mr Sarkozy wants to reduce illegal immigration and has been behind the deportation of many Malians.

More than 20 MPs say he should not visit Mali while the French parliament was debating his anti-immigration bill.

'Provocation'

"We are indignant about this visit and we honestly think that the arrival of Mr Nicolas Sarkozy in our country at this time is purely and simply a provocation," said the MPs, who come from two regions - Kayes and Gao.

Many of the Malians living in France come from the western region of Kayes, while Gao is at a key staging post on the migration route from West Africa across the Sahara desert to Morocco and then Europe.

"We ask Malian members of parliament and all Malians who love peace and justice to act so that Mr Sarkozy cancels his 17 May trip," the MPs said.

Last year, Mr Sarkozy's comments that rioters in Paris suburbs - many of whom were of African origin - were "scum" caused outrage in immigrant communities.

Mr Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, has since praised the contribution of skilled migrants to France but insists that those who entered illegally must be sent back.

In February, a man was deported to Mali, accused of taking part in the riots.

In the 1990s, many Malians were outraged when France used charter flights to deport illegal immigrants.