Mali

The International Republican Institute (IRI) conducted an assessment of Mali's political landscape in June 2005. The assessment found that while Mali's decade-long decentralization process has made considerable progress, the rural areas of the country are still adjusting to the administrative and bureaucratic consequences of decentralized governing. For that reason, IRI has focused its activities on supporting grassroots efforts to consolidate the decentralization process in rural communities. To underscore Mali's role as a leading proponent of democratic norms and practices-not only on the continent of Africa but among governments around the world, they were chosen to chair the Council for the Community of Democracies meeting in 2007.

Promoting Good Governance through Decentralization

In February 2006, IRI returned to Mali to conduct a year-long case study on decentralization in Mali. The program will be focused on a small community near Ségou commune. Trainings will address necessary elements for successful engagement in decentralization at the community level, and will follow the life of a local development project reflective of citizen needs and local government activism. IRI will work on three main areas, as requested by the community: the inclusion of women in the political process, facilitating cooperation political parties, and promoting good governance for newly elected counselors.

Over the long-term, the project will gauge impact in neighboring communities and will be offered for presentation at the Communities of Democracy meeting in Bamako in 2007.

The Republic of Mali is a solid example of democratic development in West Africa. In successfully negotiating peace and sponsoring talks between the nation's disparate southern and northern communities, the Mali government won a solid international reputation as a champion of peace. Excluding the Tuareg Rebellion of the early 1990's, in the more than four decades since Mali's 1960 independence from France, the country has remained relatively peaceful compared to many other sub-Saharan African nations.

Today, Mali is largely recognized as a successful example of democratic development in Africa. Malians pride themselves on managing governmental and social transition with calm and reason, as evidenced by the peaceful election of Alpha Konaré to the presidency in 1992, his reelection in 1997, and his subsequent refusal to push for an unconstitutional third term. Konaré maintained popular support in his campaigns against corruption and attempts to open political and economic space, although elections in 1997 met with administrative difficulties. In fact, legislative elections of that year were eventually annulled. Konaré's party, The Alliance for Democracy in Africa (ADEMA), remained strong and won more than 80 percent of National Assembly seats after the two-round election process.

For the past decade, a country-wide decentralization process has been underway in Mali. Decentralization was viewed as the most logical reform in light of the secessionist sentiments in the north of the country. While for the most part successful, local authorities have been slow to effectively take over the decision-making process. In an attempt to consolidate the decentralization process, Malian actors increasingly look to support from the international community.

Political Overview

Chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE

Head of Government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA

Type of Government: parliamentary democracy

Suffrage: universal, age 18

Elections Calendar

Program Overview

Focus of Program: decentralization and good governance

Funding Source: National Endowment for Democracy