Mr José Manuel Durão BARROSO, Mr Andris PIEBALGS and Ms Kirstalina GEORGIEVA attend the Mali Donors Conference (Brussels), Brussels

Atomium in Brussel
© Kevin Bergenhenegouwen

The news:

On 15 May, the European Union, France and Mali are jointly organising an international conference for donors for the development of Mali, which will take place in the premises of the Committee of Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.

The aim of this conference is to mobilise and coordinate support from the whole international community for Mali’s development; several Heads of State and Government from the region will attend, together with representatives at ministerial level. Once the Malian Government has set out its development priorities for 2013-14, the Conference will express its support for Mali's recovery strategy, and the financial commitments of the international community (states and international institutions) will be recorded.

The background:

Mali is at the heart of the security and development crisis affecting the Sahel region. The instability in the country following the coup d’état in March 2012 has dramatically reduced development aid since then. Progressive stabilisation of the country and the Malian authorities’ adoption at the end of January 2013 of a transition road-map, designed to restore democracy and stability, has opened the door to a gradual resumption of development aid. To respond to the urgent needs of the Malian people, ambitious development programmes are required, closely coordinated between all the donors and the Malian authorities. Only an integrated approach, such as that offered by the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel, will enable a full return to constitutional order, political reconstruction and long-term stability in Mali.

The event:

The conference will begin at 09:00 and will end with a signing ceremony for the financing agreements by Commissioner Piebalgs with Minister Coulibaly, and a press conference scheduled for 17:00 with Presidents François Hollande, José Manuel Barroso and Dioncounda Traoré. Minister Laurent Fabius, High Representative Catherine Ashton, President Herman Van Rompuy, Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva and the Deputy Minister Pascal Canfin will also attend the event to give a public address.


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