Mali

In view of the outcome of the negotiations between the Malian transitional authorities and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in particular as regards the 24-month duration of the transition from 1 March 2022, the transition strategy was extended for two years, until 2024. For the 2023-2024 period, a total financial envelope (bilateral, multilateral and humanitarian) of EUR 42 million is planned.

Bilaterally, in 2023 Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation continued to implement the six bilateral programmes in the areas of vocational training and labour market integration, rural development and food security, as well as the strengthening of rural communities’ resilience. Four bilateral projects are being implemented by LuxDev and two bilateral projects by PROMAN, the design consultant.

In 2023, through the “Training and labour market integration programme”, LuxDev supported young people and women in their economic integration into previously identified promising sectors, such as meat, market gardening, rice, fonio, sesame and mango. In 2023, the “Support programme for agro-pastoral sectors”, implemented by LuxDev with the support of Switzerland in the regions of Ségou and Sikasso, delivered a significant number of training, coaching, awareness-raising and advocacy activities to strengthen the role of women in relevant sectors and professional associations. Through the project “Strengthening the resilience of rural communities in the Kita Circle and their access to the market system — Phase III”, in 2023 Caritas constructed wells and developed market gardening areas, trained beneficiaries in innovative agro-ecological practices, and provided advice to support the formalisation and professionalisation of new farmers’ organisations that have expressed their intention to form cooperative societies.

Through its projects “Sustainable development in the Kidal region” and “Sustainable development in the Gao region”, in 2023 PROMAN was able to carry out rural development activities (establishment of grain and feed banks, construction of boreholes, wells and water supply points, construction and reinstatement of animal vaccination centres), as well as in the field of vocational training (provision of equipment for master craftsmen, establishment and operationalisation of mobile training units), or in the education sector (construction/upgrading of schools, support for school canteens). Finally, emergency measures such as the provision of food to displaced persons and vulnerable populations have been put in place to meet the immediate needs of the population in the programme’s areas of intervention.

In terms of multilateral cooperation, a new project on emergency obstetric and neonatal care and sexual and reproductive health was launched in 2023. This project is being implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In addition, Luxembourg has extended the two projects implemented in Mali by the United Nations Programme for Development (UNDP) by six months (until June 2024). These projects are in the field of entrepreneurship, and in support for electoral reforms.

In response to the growing humanitarian needs in Mali, Luxembourg contributed EUR 3.7 million to the humanitarian work of its partners in the country in 2023. Support was provided through structures with which Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation has long-standing relations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), as well as various humanitarian NGOs such as the Luxembourg Red Cross, Médecins du Monde Belgium, and also the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO).

Under a framework agreement, five Luxembourgish NGOs (Fondation Bridderlech Deelen, the Luxembourg Red Cross, Fondation Follereau Luxembourg, Handicap International Luxembourg and SOS Faim) have implemented development projects in Mali in Luxembourg Development Cooperation’s priority areas of intervention. Regular meetings between Luxembourg’s embassy in Bamako and representatives of these NGOs were held in 2023 to promote synergies between the activities of the various NGOs, ensure a better impact and increase the effectiveness of aid and the coherence of Luxembourg Development Cooperation’s actions more broadly. The financial contribution by Luxembourg’s Development Cooperation to these projects amounts to EUR 7.2 million, in addition to the budget allocated to the extension of the transition strategy.