Mali case study Flashcards
Where is Mali located and give some general information?
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa
It is the 8th largest country in Africa
50% of the population living on less than US$1.25 a day
Life expectancy is 55
The literacy rate is just 33% of the population
2 mean years of schooling
What are the socio-economic and environmental disparities?
The North is a vast area of desert and semi-desert, where the Tuareg are the dominant ethnic group.
The South has the most economic activity - the capital, Bamako, is located on the river Niger in the South.
Significant core-periphery divide - north marginalised and largely neglected
How does Mali generate most of its income?
Gold, cotton and agricultural exports - but is landlocked so has to transport through other countries to reach the coast and ship them. It is a very poor country that depends heavily on foreign aid and migrant remittances
What happend in 2012?
Military coup d’etat in 2012 and subsequent insurgency, including continued terrorism and religious extremism - required assistance of France to ‘defend Mali’s sovereignty and territorial integrity’ in 2013
What is the problem with Mali’s boundaries?
The international boundaries were defined by Europeans in the early 20th century, but there was little regard for the native tribal lands, such as the Tuareg, which resulted in the arbitrary division of the Tuareg ethnic group
the Tuareg, then have declared independence over Awazad in northeast Mali - they claim territorial and cultural rights
What has been the problem with state governance in the past?
They have ineffectively governed the north - it has been marginalised and largely neglected from Bamako - there has been a significant core-periphery divide
Why has there been fighting in the north?
Over control routes for both illegal trade and smuggling (e.g. in the Telemsi valley)
There is not just a core-periphery divide…
there are many other significant ethnic groups (other than Tuareg) such as the Songhai, who are prominent in the Gao area
What is MINSUMA and when was it established? What has it involved and what are its aims?
UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali - established by UN security council in 2013
Aims to support the political process and stabilise Mali, ensure security, protect civilians, assist re-establishment of state authority and promote and protect human rights
There are currently over 9000 military personnel and 1000 police involved
They operate in main population centres - keeping open important lines of communication and providing humanitarian assistance - including returns of displaced persons and preparation for free and peaceful elections
What have ECOWAS and the African Union done in Mali?
They have been involved in mediation and returning power to civilian administration
What was the 2015 peace deal?
Peace deal between Malian government and Tuareg people - success of combined effects of global governance evident in 2015
Provided some degree of autonomy in the north
Included recognition of locally elected leaders, greater representation of northern populations in national institution, more transfer of state budget to authorities in the north
Give some examples of how NGOs have been involved in global governance of Mali
Population Services International - reproductive health services
Care - food security and poverty alleviation
World Education Mali - addressing educational barriers to literacy
Solidarités International - water, hygiene, sanitation and food security in northern settlements, including Timbuktu
Despite the presence of MINUSMA, why have the efforts of NGOs been increasingly difficult to implement?
Areas of armed bandits involved in kidnapping, car jacking, smuggling and land mines
Why have effects of global governance in Mali been limited?
Continuing instability and inequalities (from which many of the problems stem). However, HDI figures show improvement overall
What are the opportunities for STABILITY created by global governance in Mali?
MINSUMA establishing mechanisms for stability - provision of military force and strengthening of police to minimise terrorist activity, and to support the gov enforcing rule of law and democratic elections.
Protection of human rights is now a priority
Re-establishing sovereign state control of the north and territorial integrity is a UN aim.
