Brussels, 25/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - A promise has been kept. Of the €523 million pledged by the European Commission at the donors' conference for Mali - Together for a New Mali - held in Brussels on 15 May, a payment of €90 million has just been made for budgetary support to consolidation of the state, the Commission announced on Tuesday 25 June. “This first substantial disbursement of the contract for support to consolidation of the state comes on the date that was planned and illustrates the progress made by Mali in implementing the roadmap for democratic transition. It will contribute to the restoration of democracy and the rule of law on the whole territory, and to the strengthening of the activities of the Malian state in the sectors that directly benefit the Malian population - like health, education, food security and job creation”, said European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs (our translation).
The disbursement comes exactly a week after the signing of the preliminary peace agreement signed in Ouagadougou on 18 June between the Malian movement and the Tuareg insurrection movements, the MNLA and the High Council for Azawad Unity, ahead of the elections on 28 July (see EUROPE 10873).
The international donors' conference - Together for a New Mali - enabled €3.285 billion in promises of aid to be garnered from 56 donors, and it enabled the identification of avenues for action for governance, decentralisation, public finance management and economic recovery The EU pledged €1.350 billion (including €523.9 by the Commission).
The contract for support to the consolidation of the state of Mali for a sum of €225 million was signed by the European Commission and the government of Mali on this occasion. The Commission's budgetary support helps the Malian government in its implementation of the roadmap for the transition as well as the plan for sustainable recovery of Mali 2013-2014. It will be disbursed in three tranches over this period.
The objectives pursued are numerous - to increase the government's financial capacity to strengthen macroeconomic stability and its capacity for action to support development; to improve governance and especially the management of public finances; to accompany the government of Mali in the transition and towards national reconciliation; to support the efforts of the government to assure its key role throughout the whole national territory - particularly basic social services (health and water) and economic recovery towards job creation. (AN/transl.fl)