(BAMAKO, February 5, 2014) Mali is in danger of frittering away the opportunity to tackle corruption and stamp out the abuse of power by officials as democracy returns to the country, two years on from the 2012 coup.
Malian people need to see significant changes in the way the country is governed, including the fairer distribution of development aid, according to a new report today. The Mali government and donors meet in Brussels on the 5th of February to discuss the country’s future.
Transparency and accountability
Worldwide development organization Oxfam and its Malian civil society partners have co-authored the paper, What next for Mali? Four priorities for better governance. They say donors also must do more to ensure that the relationship between the Malian government and its citizens is strengthened and made more transparent, fair, inclusive and accountable.
Mohamed L. Coulibaly, Country Director for Oxfam in Mali said: “Mali stands at a cross-roads. Officials meeting in Brussels this Wednesday 5th of February must place justice, reconciliation, citizen participation, and equitable development at the heart of their discussions. Civil society has been working on these issues for a long time and we are ready to work with the government too.”
Funding democratic order
At the 2013 Brussels summit donors committed €3.2 bn to the development and reconstruction of Mali. However, exactly how much of that actually made it into Mali remains difficult to assess, due to the complexity of the commitments. Funds that were received have helped to support elections and some reconstruction efforts, but much more is needed to ensure the restoration of a democratic order, good governance and to put an end to corruption.
Malian civil society organizations and Oxfam want all pledges properly tracked, as recommended by the International Initiative on Aid Transparency (IIATA).
Peace requires justice, reconciliation
Ibrahima Koreissi, national coordinator for Deme So Association said, “Peace and stability require justice and reconciliation. Even before the conflict, there was very little access to justice for women and men living in poverty outside the capital of Bamako. Donors and the government of Mali are responsible for the transition to peace providing justice for all, including victims of abuse.”
Mali only has around 270 lawyers among a population of 15 million, and just four women in a cabinet of 34 ministers. Its Commission for Truth, Justice and Reconciliation is not yet fully functioning. Donors and the Malian government must commit to making justice more effective and increase women’s participation in political processes.
Women's representation
Bintou Samaké, Wildaf president said: “Malian women should be equally represented in decision-making positions, starting within the government. Only 1 per cent of Mali’s mayors are women. The EU generously supported the presidential and legislative elections, so it’s important that during the April municipal elections the EU and other donors specifically support women to be candidates.”
Coulibaly said: “The situation in northern Mali remains fragile. Donors must not forget that more than 800,000 people need immediate food assistance due to the impact of conflict, weak harvests, and poor rains. Mali needs a comprehensive response to the many challenges it faces.”
Notes to editors
- Association Conseil pour le Développement (ACOD) was founded in 1995 and has a mandate to support economic and social rights in rural communities. The group focuses on local development and strengthening decentralization processes to be more effective for communities.
- Association Deme So was founded in 1992 to promote human rights, with special attention to women and children. In recent years it has developed legal clinics and supported the training and deployment of paralegals to rural areas in Mali. It works in the district of Bamako and in 38 communities in the regions of Koulikoro, Segou, Kangaba, Mopti and Tenekou. It also co-operates with national umbrella organisations, and with the ministries of justice and decentralisation.
- Groupe Suivi Budgetaire focuses on monitoring and analysis the allocations and expenditures in the national budget. They have advocated with the government for great transparency in the budget process and for citizen and civil society participation. GSBM works in 6 urban and 33 rural municipalities or communes.
- Femmes et Droits Humains is a relatively new organization focusing on promoting the civil and political rights of women. They are currently working on trying to increase women’s representation on electoral lists ahead of the municipal elections in Mali.
- Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF) is a pan-African network bringing together 500 organizations and 1200 individuals in order to promote the rights of women in Africa. WILDAF-Mali works on issues of women’s access to justice, access to land and land rights, and national reconciliation.
Contact information
General media inquiries – Vincent Tremeau: +223 66 75 47 46 / vtremeau@oxfam.org.uk
On governance, justice, reconciliation, development issues – Surendrini Wijeyaratne Surendrini.wijeyaratne@oxfamnovib.nl
- Association Conseil pour le Développement (ACOD) was founded in 1995 and has a mandate to support economic and social rights in rural communities. The group focuses on local development and strengthening decentralization processes to be more effective for communities.
- Association Deme So was founded in 1992 to promote human rights, with special attention to women and children. In recent years it has developed legal clinics and supported the training and deployment of paralegals to rural areas in Mali. It works in the district of Bamako and in 38 communities in the regions of Koulikoro, Segou, Kangaba, Mopti and Tenekou. It also co-operates with national umbrella organisations, and with the ministries of justice and decentralisation.
- Groupe Suivi Budgetaire focuses on monitoring and analysis the allocations and expenditures in the national budget. They have advocated with the government for great transparency in the budget process and for citizen and civil society participation. GSBM works in 6 urban and 33 rural municipalities or communes.
- Femmes et Droits Humains is a relatively new organization focusing on promoting the civil and political rights of women. They are currently working on trying to increase women’s representation on electoral lists ahead of the municipal elections in Mali.
- Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF) is a pan-African network bringing together 500 organizations and 1200 individuals in order to promote the rights of women in Africa. WILDAF-Mali works on issues of women’s access to justice, access to land and land rights, and national reconciliation.
General media inquiries – Vincent Tremeau: +223 66 75 47 46 / vtremeau@oxfam.org.uk
On governance, justice, reconciliation, development issues – Surendrini Wijeyaratne Surendrini.wijeyaratne@oxfamnovib.nl