Mali
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| EU Delegation |  |
| Project |  |
to see examples
of projects
in this country
Mali is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan country with a population of approximately 12.7 million. Located at the heart of a conflict-prone region, Mali has been enjoying democracy for the past fifteen years. Mali is one of the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) but has been experiencing a slow but continuous rise on the Human Development Index (HDI) since 1993. Mali's economy is poorly diversified and the country is still heavily dependent on the primary sector, making it vulnerable to external shocks – climatic, political and economic. As an exporter of raw materials, Mali is also exposed to fluctuations in world commodities prices, in particular of gold and cotton. Poor infrastructure and high energy and transport costs are the main obstacles to development.
Aid programmes
The Country Strategy Paper for Mali (2008-2013) 
sets out the strategic framework for the co-operation of the European Commission (EC) with Mali under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF). The three main thematic areas of assistance are governance, economic development in the Northern regions and the Niger delta and general budget support.
EC support will contribute to consolidating the decentralisation of government services and to devising and implementing a migration policy. The EC-funded activities will also help to develop road transport and infrastructure as well as to improve other basic infrastructure (water, sanitation and energy) and to open-up targeted regions. Furthermore, the aim is to develop the Office du Niger zone (increase production and agricultural productivity and create jobs) and to encourage regional economic development.
Additional aid will be granted for activities supporting the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and for measures to promote civil society and manufacturing.
The EC's total allocation foreseen for Mali under 10th EDF funding (2008-2013) amounts to €559.3 million to address these priorities.
All EU projects in Mali also address cross-cutting issues such as gender and the environment.
Recent assistance
The Country Strategy Paper for Mali (2003-2007) gave priority to infrastructure, decentralisation and state reform, and also provided macro-economic support for Mali's poverty reduction strategy (PRSP) under 9th EDF funding.
Under the 9th EDF, activities in the infrastructure sector focused on improving access to Mali by developing the regional corridors from Dakar (from the north via Didiéma-Dieni and from the south via Kati-Kita), from Nouakchott (via Diéma-Nioro) and from Niamey (via Gao-Ansongo-Labezanga) – a total of 642 km of roads. In the field of rural development, several projects have been carried out, providing support for cotton and rice producers, improving village water supplies and sustaining efforts to counter desertification and silting-up.
For further details on projects and programmes in Mali funded from the European Development Fund and the general budget of the EU, please visit the project's section of the website of the Delegation of the European Union to Mali.
Other sources of information
The Directorate-General for Development is responsible for drawing up the co-operation strategy with Mali.
More information on EU relations with Mali is available on the pages of the Delegation of the European Union to Mali, which is also responsible for co-operation activities in the country.
Information on trade relations in the ACP region can be found on the website of the Directorate-General for Trade.