• The Government of Mali and the OECD have organised together a high-level international conference for the economic recovery and development of Mali, in co-operation with France and other friends and partners of Mali. This conference took place within the context of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement signed in May-June 2015 following from the mediation process led by Algeria, with the support of the international community.

• The Government of Mali, representatives of the signatory parties to the Agreement, Malian and international civil society and private sector representatives, as well as 64 countries and partner regional and international organisations took part in the conference.

• The conference had four objectives:

1. To provide a platform for the Government of Mali to present the immediate steps it is taking to implement the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, in the context of a fragile security situation in the North of Mali; its specific Development Strategy for the northern regions, ongoing and planned reforms and the proposed model and governance structure of the Sustainable Development Fund.
2. To strengthen the dialogue on public policies required for greater inclusion, jobs and stability, in particular for more efficient and transparent governance, an ambitious but realistic decentralisation process, inclusive growth, and development cooperation that supports Mali’s priorities and the implementation of reforms in strategic sectors.
3. For international partners (bilateral, regional, and multilateral, public and private) to reaffirm their commitment around Mali’s strategic priorities, notably the immediate commitments of the Government to implement the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation during the interim period (2015-2017) in a tangible and swift manner.
4. Beyond the interim period, and in the context of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, to take stock of the measures, partnerships and financial resources required in the medium and long terms for inclusive and sustainable economic recovery.

• The President of the Republic of Mali, the President of the French Republic and the Secretary-General of the OECD opened the conference. All recalled the impact of the crisis in 2012 and the progress that had been achieved since then. They highlighted the current challenges and also the huge potential of Mali’s people and territories, as part of an interdependent Sahel region. The Secretary-General of the OECD stressed the importance of inclusivity in public policies and partnerships. He reaffirmed the OECD commitment to make its expertise available to Mali and the international community. The Malian President confirmed his
  country’s total commitment to implementing the Agreement, in a spirit of inclusion and with all parties honouring their promises. He called on the international community to support the Malian parties in this process. The President of the French Republic applauded the exemplary nature of the reconstruction efforts in progress, and announced the support pledged by France for the period 2015-2017.

• The presentation of the interim findings by the international Joint Evaluation Mission was positively received. They provide a clear vision of the priority actions to be pursued in the short, medium, and long-terms in the North of Mali, in a security context that remains fragile and constrains humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and project implementation. The cost of actions aimed at rapid recovery, poverty reduction, and development over the next six years was estimated at FCFA 2 320 billion (3.5 billion euros).

• The Government of Mali expressed its determination to create the conditions needed to accelerate growth throughout the country as a whole. In particular, it confirmed its full commitment to improve the management of public affairs, the business climate, and the mobilisation of tax resources. It reasserted its will to implement a process of decentralisation that would give the regions in Mali effective responsibilities and capacities with regard to local affairs and territorial development, together with a redefining of the essential missions of the State at the level of the country as a whole.

• The Government presented the Specific Development Strategy for the northern regions in Mali and announced a contribution, from its own resources, of FCFA 300 billion (450 million euros) over the period 2016-2018. The planning process will continue, with a view in particular to ensure greater depth and ownership of this document at the national and regional levels. The Government also announced the establishment of the Sustainable Development Fund provided for in the Agreement. This Fund will have a shared and inclusive governance structure and will comply with the most stringent standards in terms of accountability and transparency. The Government requests technical assistance from its partners to carry out the necessary studies and set up the Fund.

• The signatory movements spoke with a unified voice to signal their determination to bring the peace process to a successful conclusion. They called on all actors to respect the Agreement and honour their commitments.

• Participants declared their full support for implementation of the Agreement. They welcomed the positive dynamic initiated in recent weeks and the constructive cooperation forged between the parties. They stressed the beneficial impact that implementation of the measures set out in the Agreement would have on the full deployment of humanitarian and development interventions in the North of Mali. All actors will join forces to achieve that objective.

• Participants welcomed the Government’s commitment to inclusive territorial development and the participation of signatory movements in formulating the Specific Development Strategy for the regions in the North of Mali. Mali’s partners confirmed their mobilisation to support the implementation of all aspects of the Agreement and the Strategy.

• The conference provided an opportunity to take stock of partners’ financial commitments for Mali, which will amount to FCFA 2 120 billion (€3.2 billion) for the period 2015-2017 – including, on the basis of preliminary announcements made at the conference, FCFA 397 billion (€605 million) for the regions in the North. The partners recalled their commitment to the co-ordination, harmonisation and transparency of aid and recognised the leadership role that the Government of Mali must play in this regard. The process of mobilising resources for the implementation of the Agreement will continue under the auspices of the Comité de Suivi as provided for in the Agreement.

You will find all relevant documents on the OECD website : http://www.oecd.org/countries/mali/mali-development-conference-2015.htm