Africa

Bottom-up peacebuilding in Mali

The German government is supporting local stabilization projects to foster a peaceful political development

September 23rd, 2019
Kristin Leckström, News from Berlin
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Germany is supporting the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) and the European Union Capacity Building Mission in Mali (EUCAP Sahel Mali).

Germany has a development cooperation with Mali which is mostly focused on areas of decentralization, agriculture and water supply/sanitation. The cooperation also includes civil stabilization measures and engagement in security policy.

The German Government is supporting crisis prevention and stabilization projects in Mali, such as promoting local mediation and projects to strengthen social cohesion. One important part of the cooperation is the support in the monitoring of the peace and reconciliation process, where the aforementioned projects take part. Furthermore, Germany is assisting MINUSMA with the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process.

In addition to the security policy engagements, the cultural exchange between Germany and Mali is lively. One central focus is to promote the German language and the further training of Malian students by providing university and professional training grants. These projects are initiated to strengthen the relations between Germany and Mali in a long-term perspective. By supporting local peacebuilding projects, the German government can promote the importance of applying a bottom-up perspective in building peace in conflict-ridden areas.

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News from Berlin