World Bank President Robert Zoellick Urges Mali to Shift From Mining
The World Bank will back energy, transportation and irrigation projects in Mali to diversify the Sahelian country’s mining-dominated economy as its gold output lessens, the Bank’s President Robert Zoellick said Monday.
Zoellick, on a two-day trip to the former French colony in West Africa, told Malian officials their government’s ongoing campaign to boost manufacturing and commercial agriculture in the country “will lay a stronger foundation for job creation and shared growth”.
Zoellick urged Mali to demonstrate transparency in the management of resource revenues in a time when gold prices are high. Receipts from the gold account for more than 95 percent of total mineral production in the country.
Cotton accounted for 8 percent of Mali’s GDP between 1980 and 2005 (30 percent of exports) and provides income to a third of Mali’s population.
Among the most traded products include Malian mangoes and livestock (husdyr).
Meanwhile, according to official sources Mali’s 2011 budget, which is currently under examination before parliament, will hit 2,65 billion US dollar, with revenue collections estimated at 2,37 billion.
Mali er et af Danmarks partnerlande i udviklingsbistanden.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
