Mali launches migrant reintegration funding and irrigation development programs

The Malian government has launched two distinct initiatives aimed at socio-economic development. First, Mossa Ag Attaher, the Minister for Malians Abroad and African Integration, presided over the allocation of 121 million FCFA to fund 90 socio-economic reintegration projects for returning migrants. These funds, sourced from the Special Investment Budget, support sectors such as livestock, agriculture, trade, and handicrafts in regions including Bamako, Gao, Timbuktu, Nioro, Kita, and San. However, the selection process has faced criticism regarding a lack of transparency, as no public criteria were released for the 90 selected projects out of 206 applications.

Separately, the Malian Council of Ministers has approved a five-year extension for the irrigation development program in the Bani Basin and Sélingué. This second phase aims to continue the construction of hydro-agricultural infrastructure in the Sélingué, Middle Bani, and Djenné areas. The program is designed to strengthen national agricultural production capacities and improve the management of water resources for farming.