International donor conference: € 3.25 billion mobilised by international community to rebuild Mali
An international donor conference in Brussels has seen public pledges of € 3.25bn to support the development and reconstruction of Mali.
The funds, which will contribute to the € 4.343bn needed to implement the plan for the sustainable recovery of Mali 2013-2014, was presented by the Malian government.
Speaking after the conference, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso said, "The European Union is proud to be at the forefront of these efforts”.
The financial pledge was also welcomed by European Parliament's President Martin Schulz, who said, "The donor conference for development in Mali sends a clear message to all Malians that the international community, its African partners and the EU with a leading role played by France, are with them in their struggle for the restoration of peace, democracy and unity in the country.”
Mali is at the heart of the security and development crisis affecting the Sahel region. Mali's interim President and transitional government have set themselves two fundamental objectives, namely, the restoration of the country's territorial integrity and the holding of free and transparent elections.
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