Brussels, 12/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is gradually resuming development cooperation with Mali. Cooperation had been suspended after the coup d'état in March 2012. Some €250 million may be made available by the EU for Mali as progress is made on the roadmap for transition that should lead to recovery of Mali's territorial integrity and to elections on 31 July this year.
This promise - confirmed by EU heads of state and/or government on 9 February (see EUROPE 10782) - was formally acted upon on Tuesday 12 February during the Informal Development Council in Dublin. Andris Piebalgs, European Development Commissioner, said the EU “will assist the country in restoring democracy and peace by focusing primarily on reconciliation, conflict prevention and supporting the electoral process”. The other priorities will be food security, water and sanitation and proposals for kick-starting the economy. (AN/transl.jl)