The Council of Ministers met in its regular session on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at the Koulouba Palace, under the presidency of Colonel Assimi GOITA, President of the Transition, Head of State.
After examining the items on the agenda, the Council:
- adopted draft texts;
- and listened to communications.
UNDER LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY MEASURES
- Based on the report of the Minister for State Refoundation, in charge of Relations with Institutions, the Council of Ministers adopted a draft law authorizing the Government to take certain measures by ordinance.
This draft law is initiated in accordance with Articles 121 of the Constitution and 13 of the Transition Charter.
It aims to authorize the Government to take measures by ordinance that are normally within the domain of the law, during the period between the closing of the ordinary session of the National Transition Council, which started on October 2, 2023, and the opening of the ordinary session in April 2024.
The adopted draft law authorizes the Government to adopt necessary measures for the implementation of its program in the following areas:
- the creation, organization, and control of public services and organizations;
- production organization;
- personnel status;
- treaties and international agreements.
- Based on the report of the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, the Council of Ministers adopted:
a. a draft decree establishing the organizational framework for the Transport Observatory. The Transport Observatory was created by Ordinance No. 99-041/P-RM of September 29, 1999, with the mission to monitor the activities in the transport sector and provide the public authorities and professionals with useful information. Its organization and functioning are defined by Decree No. 00-003/P-RM of January 12, 2000.
Decree No. 00-004/P-RM of January 12, 2000 determines the organizational framework of the Transport Observatory. After several years of implementation, the structure is experiencing dysfunctions mainly due to the non-inclusion of certain bodies in the current organizational framework. The adopted draft decree aims to correct this situation and for the next five (05) years, provide the Transport Observatory with the necessary personnel to carry out its missions.
b. a draft decree establishing the organizational framework for the Finance and Equipment Directorate of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The Finance and Equipment Directorates were established by Ordinance No. 09-010/P-RM of March 4, 2009, with the mission to develop, within a Department or a group of Ministerial Departments, elements of the national policy in the areas of financial and material resources management and public service procurement.
The organizational framework of the Finance and Equipment Directorate of the Ministry of Equipment and Development is defined by Decree No. 2017-0937/P-PM of November 27, 2017.
Given the non-compliance of the current organizational framework with the configuration of the department resulting from the merger of the Ministry of Transport and Urban Mobility and the Ministry of Equipment and Development, it is necessary to review it to adapt it to the institutional environment.
The draft decree is adopted for this purpose. It will provide the Directorate with the necessary personnel for the next five (05) years to carry out its missions.
- Based on the report of the Minister of Urbanism, Housing, Land, Planning, and Population, the Council of Ministers adopted:
a. a draft decree approving the Urban Master Plan of the city of Ménaka and its surroundings.
The city of Ménaka covers an area of 95,000 hectares with an estimated population of 13,647 according to the 2022 General Population and Housing Census.
The expansion of the city of Ménaka, its designation as a regional capital, and the scale of activities carried out there have made it necessary to revise the approved Urban Master Plan from 2004. This revision will take into account the developments and ensure its harmonious development in the short, medium, and long-term.
The Urban Master Plan sets out the fundamental guidelines for the development and planning of the city of Ménaka and its surroundings and defines the organization principles of the agglomeration in terms of housing, activities, road networks, various networks, major facilities, including addressing environmental issues.
The adoption of this Master Plan will provide the city of Ménaka and its surroundings with planning and management instruments for its development over the next twenty years.
b. a draft decree assigning the Land Parcel, object of Land Title No. 239206 of the Kati Circle, situated in N’Tabacoro, to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection.
The plot of land, covering an area of 16 ares 00 centiare, is intended for the construction of a Police station to provide a better response to the security needs of the population of N’Tabacoro and its surroundings.
COMMUNICATIONS
- The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure informed the Council of Ministers:
a. about the organization of the International Forum on Road Safety:
Mali is currently holding the presidency of the Road Safety Organization in West Africa. As such, it is responsible for initiating and validating all initiatives to promote road safety in the community.
Considering the frequency and severity of road accidents in our country, the sub-region, and on the continent, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure is organizing an international forum on road safety on December 7-8, 2023, under the theme: Road Safety, a Cross-border Challenge. The objective of this forum is to provide a platform for exchanging best international practices for preventing road accident risks in order to enhance road safety.
The dramatic increase in motorization, rapid population growth, and urbanization are among the factors contributing to the increasing risks associated with road use. Due to the widespread use of two or three-wheeled motorized vehicles, road traffic victims are mainly in the age range of 18 to 35, and among the most vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities.
The average annual statistics of road accidents over the past five years reveal that one person is killed every 14 hours. The factors contributing to road accidents are distributed as follows:
- human factors: 82%;
- technical failures of the vehicle: 10%;
- road infrastructure and their environment: 8%.
In response to the tragedy of road accidents, the Government has adopted the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, the implementation of which should significantly reduce the number of road fatalities.
The international forum on road safety provides an opportunity to bring together national, sub-regional, African, and international experts to exchange views on the pillars of the National Road Safety Strategy. The opening ceremony of the forum will take place on Thursday, December 7, 2023, under the presidency of the Prime Minister, Head of Government.
b. about the derailment of train No.15:
On November 24, 2023, at 11:50 pm, train No.15, from Kayes to Bamako, derailed 9 km from the Mahina railway station. The train consisted of locomotive CC2207, pulling 15 wagons, including locomotive CC2205, carrying 410 passengers and 38 crew members. The accident did not cause any deaths or injuries among the passengers. However, the driver on board locomotive CC2205 and the electrician from the Malian Rail Heritage Company were slightly injured. Significant damage was reported to rolling stock, and the railway track was damaged over nearly one hundred linear meters.
Immediate measures were taken by the Malian Rail Heritage Company in collaboration with the defense and security forces and the authorities in the Kayes region to secure the area and provide assistance to the passengers and train crew.
- The Minister of Labor, Public Service and Social Dialogue informed the Council of Ministers about Mali’s participation in the 5th session of the Conference of Labor Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Minister of Labor, Public Service and Social Dialogue participated in the 5th session of the Conference of Labor Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation from November 21-23, 2023.
The central theme of this conference was “Innovative Solutions and Digitization of Labor and Employment Services in the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.” Forty-three countries participated in this session.
The meeting involved Senior Officials from the Member States and representatives of the General Secretariat of the Organization, the statistical, economic, and social research center and training for Islamic countries, the Islamic Center for the Development of Trade, the Institute of Standardization and Metrology for Islamic countries, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, the Executive Office of Labor and Social Affairs Ministers’ Councils, and the International Labor Organization.
At the end of their meeting, the Senior Officials adopted several recommendations, including those related to:
- the examination of countries’ applications to the Executive Council of the Labor Center of the OIC;
- the examination of candidates’ files for the position of Director-General of the Labor Center of the OIC;
- the examination of the budget of the Secretariat of the Labor Center of the OIC (2023-2026).
The meeting invited Member States to expedite the ratification of the Center’s Statute in order to make regular contributions to the administrative and operational budgets of the center. The regular contribution rate will be defined by the executive council during a budget session. It also called on states to make voluntary contributions.
The Conference of Labor Ministers was marked by interventions from different delegations, many of which denounced the aggression in Palestine with crimes against humanity.
In his intervention, the Minister of Labor highlighted the progress made in labor, employment, and social protection, including the signing of the Social Stability and Growth Pact with social partners on August 25, 2023.
Furthermore, the Labor Ministers of Burkina Faso and Mali highlighted the situation in the Sahel, which is facing aggression from terrorists sponsored by certain foreign powers. They called on the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to show solidarity with the G5 Sahel Alliance in the fight against terrorism.
Taking into account the content of the speeches by the two countries, the meeting of ministers decided to include solidarity for the Sahel States in its final resolution, in addition to Palestine.
- The Minister of Youth and Sports, in charge of Civic Education and Citizenship, informed the Council of Ministers about the organization of the National Youth General Assembly.
The National Youth General Assembly aims to create a space for exchange and reflection in order to enable young people and stakeholders in the sector to contribute to formulating adequate responses to the challenges faced by the youth, allowing them to fully and effectively participate in the socio-economic, cultural, and environmental development of the country.
Local and regional consultations for the general assembly will be held in each district on December 1 and at the regional level on December 5, 2023, in a participatory and inclusive approach.
The validation workshops will take place on December 21, and the presentation of the conclusions to the President of the Transition, Head of State, will be on December 22, 2023.
These consultations will involve all stakeholders: young people, administrative, political, and traditional authorities, civil society organizations. Furthermore, young people residing abroad will organize their own consultations to address their concerns.
The following themes will be addressed during the National Youth General Assembly:
- Youth, Governance, Political, and Institutional Reforms;
- Youth, Security, Peace, Reconciliation, and Social Cohesion;
- Youth, Economic Growth, and Sustainable Development;
- Youth, Human Capital, Gender, and Social Inclusion;
- Youth, Sports, Culture, Art, and Citizenship Building;
- Youth, Association Life, and Public Participation.
The conclusions and recommendations from these general assemblies will serve, in addition to the National Youth Policy, as the roadmap for all actions in favor of the youth.
The closing ceremony for the national phase will be chaired by the President of the Transition, Head of State, on December 22, 2023.
- The Minister of Industry and Commerce informed the Council of Ministers about the holding of the 63rd Ordinary Session of the African Intellectual Property Organization’s Board of Directors.
Burkina Faso will host the 63rd Ordinary Session of the African Intellectual Property Organization’s Board of Directors from December 4-12, 2023.
As the common office of application for the Bangui Agreement, the African Intellectual Property Organization currently has seventeen (17) member states.
This 63rd session will be an opportunity for the Minister of Industry and Commerce of Mali to advance the pending files concerning the “bogolan” of Mali and the “gem salt of Taoudénni,” which will be designated as Geographical Indication.
The session will take place in two stages: the meeting of the Expert Commission composed of two representatives per member state and the meeting of the Administrators, which includes all the Ministers in charge of Industry of the member states.
The topics on the agenda of this session will include the examination and adoption of the Director-General’s activity reports, as well as technical and financial matters.
The session will conclude with the distinction of the three (03) best National Contact Points of the African Intellectual Property Organization among its 17 member states.
As a reminder, Mali, through the Malian Center for the Promotion of Industrial Property, was ranked first among its peers during the 62nd Ordinary Session held in Douala, Cameroon. This distinction was the fifth (5th) of its kind for our country.
- The Minister of Livestock and Fisheries informed the Council of Ministers about the launch of the Livestock Vaccination Campaign.
Livestock plays an important role in Mali’s economic and social development. It contributes to approximately 12% of the Gross Domestic Product, 25-30% of rural sector production, and provides the country with 15% of its export earnings. Livestock is the country’s third-largest export product after cotton and gold.
However, Malian livestock faces sanitary constraints. For this reason, vaccination campaigns aiming to control and eradicate animal diseases are organized each year.
For the 2023/2024 vaccination campaign, the objective is to vaccinate 76,636,645 heads of animals and poultry, of all species.
Vaccination mainly targets the priority diseases identified by the epidemiological surveillance network created by Ministerial Order No. 2020-0202/MEP-SG of February 6, 2020.
The official launch of the vaccination campaign aims to mobilize all stakeholders to reduce the incidence of these diseases by increasing the vaccination coverage rate and ensuring effective epidemiological surveillance.
At the national level, the launch will take place in Kati Drall, in the Kambila Commune, Kati Circle, on Sunday, December 17, starting at 10 a.m.
- The Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Political and Institutional Reforms, informed the Council of Ministers about the organization of workshops on the theme “The 4th Republic: Roles and Responsibilities of Social, Political, and Institutional Actors” in Bamako and in certain regional capitals from December 7, 2023.
In accordance with the recommendations of the National Refoundation Conference, a new Constitution was adopted by referendum on June 18, 2023, and promulgated on July 22, 2023, by the President of the Transition, Head of State.
By choosing to renew the overall governance system, Malians aim to create the conditions for strengthening the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.
The Constitution addresses a range of socio-political and institutional actors to whom new roles and responsibilities have been assigned. They join others who are maintained or reinforced in certain areas.
Given the challenges and goals of the 4th Republic, it appears necessary to prepare and mobilize all these actors in order to create the necessary synergy for achieving the objectives of our country’s refoundation.
These workshops will be an opportunity to identify the legal tools and means that the Constitution provides to citizens and actors to contribute to creating the conditions for the emergence of virtuous governance for the stabilization and harmonious development of our country.
The Minister Delegate’s Cabinet aims to contribute to the promotion and realization of the spirit of constitutional reform with representatives of the triumvirate (Minister of State-Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Minister for State Refoundation, in charge of Relations with Institutions, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, in charge of Political and Institutional Reforms), as well as representatives of justice, culture, youth, and women. The selected themes address:
- Malians at the heart of the 4th Republic: citizenship and values;
- Political, Institutional, and Electoral Governance;
- Administrative and Territorial Governance;
- Fight against corruption;
- National Defense: civilian and military.
The different presentations will be based on the two triptychs of the vision outlined by the President of the Transition, Head of State: the three constitutionalized principles guiding public action, namely respect for state sovereignty, respect for the people’s sovereign choices, and the defense of their interests; and the three “D’s”: Defense, Diplomacy, and Development.
The workshops will take place in Bamako and in the regions of Kayes, Mopti, and Kidal.
- The Minister of Health and Social Development informed the Council of Ministers about the epidemiological situation of the country, notably:
a. a stagnation in the number of positive cases of Coronavirus compared to the previous week.
b. an increase in the number of confirmed cases of dengue compared to the previous week.
The President of the Transition, Head of State, called on the population to strictly adhere to prevention and control measures against diseases.
Bamako, November 29, 2023
The Secretary-General of the Government,
Mahamadou DAGNO
Officer of the National Order
