Mali
OVERVIEW
Mali stands out as a stable democracy in the midst of the troubled West African region. The predominantly Muslim country began a transition to democracy in 1992 and continued with a peaceful change of power in 2002. Real gross domestic product growth has averaged over 5 percent a year since 1994, facilitating the rise of national income from $240 per person in 1994 to $440 in 2006. To assist Mali in continuing to play a positive role in the region, USAID is working to reduce poverty, increase access to information, and improve health and education services.
PROGRAMS
PEACE AND SECURITY
The Trans-Sahara Counter-Terrorism Partnership aims to provide Malians with the means to overcome the acute poverty and weak institutional capacity exploited by extremist groups. In Mali, the majority of resources are targeted to the isolated, ungoverned regions of Gao, Kidal, and Timbuktu to reduce instability and forge stronger links between local populations and the Malian government. In these areas, USAID focuses on enhancing civic engagement and economic opportunities among Malian youth. USAID also works with Malian medresas, or Islamic schools, to ensure that they are fully incorporated into Mali’s national education system.
GOVERNING JUSTLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY
USAID promotes citizen participation in the democratic process, provides local governments with the skills to administer financial systems, develops practices that support decentralization, and increases women’s role in decision-making. Between 2006 and 2008, the number of elected female leaders increased by 200 percent. However, Mali is one of the most information-deprived countries, with a largely illiterate population and a nascent technology infrastructure. USAID’s programs improve the quality of development information available and reduce constraints on information access. USAID is expanding the network of community radio stations in Mali to Kidal, Gao, and Timbuktu, and by 2010, will have funded the creation of 20 radio stations and trained radio staff in programming and station management.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE: HEALTH
Through the President’s Malaria Initiative, USAID is working to slow the
spread of malaria among children and pregnant mothers using bed nets,
indoor spraying, preventative treatment, and medication for any child with
symptoms. USAID also strives to empower women to take control of their
health by offering family planning and maternal and child health services,
which allow women to make informed decisions on family size and birth
spacing. In addition, strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health,
the private sector, and civil society will improve the package of health
services available for women and children countrywide. USAID is also
expanding access to HIV/AIDS services, consolidating HIV/AIDS
surveillance, reducing vitamin A and iron deficiency, increasing
immunization coverage, and preventing and treating diarrheal diseases.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE: EDUCATION
In spite of progress in recent years, Mali’s primary enrolment rate is still
among the lowest in the world, particularly for girls, and the quality of
basic education is low. To address these problems, USAID developed a
program to improve access to quality instruction and to reinforce literacy
and numeracy in primary school classes. USAID trained 7,406 teachers
and improved the instruction of over 296,000 primary students through
interactive radio programs. USAID also promotes effective education
system management, information and resources flow, and decentralized
education planning in 75 target communities, and is developing a
program to increase out-of-school youth employability and income.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
USAID has defined a strategy in support of the goal of economic growth
that focuses on reducing poverty through an integrated set of
interventions that will increase food security, agricultural productivity,
assets, employment, and incomes. The strategy also boosts awareness
and the capacity of Malians to safeguard and improve the condition of
their natural resources and biodiversity. In recognition of the renewed
emphasis on global food security, USAID has tailored its portfolio in Mali
to stress activities and capacity development that will address issues of
food accessibility, availability, and utilization. The program also focuses
on developing capacity within the civil service to better manage trade,
investment, and agriculture.
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