Please download the PEI Country fact sheet on Mali (PDF)


Basic facts of the PEI in Mali

• Programme on Capacity building for a better articulation of the environment policy within the national development planning processes (PEI-Mali).
• Started in April 2005, Phase I has been scaled-up for 2007-2008.
• A joint initiative between UNEP, UNDP and the Government of Mali.
• Executed by the Government of Mali (NEX) through national partner institutions, led by the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation (MES) through its National Directorate for Conservation of Nature (DNCN) and the PRSP Unit of Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF/PRSP).
• The project is implemented by a National Project Management Unit - under the supervision of the MES - which leads the process and liaises closely with the other national partners.
• Donors: Norway – through UNEP – and UNDP-Mali (TRAC). Funds distributed through UNDP-Mali.
• Total budget:
• 2005-2006: USD 200,000 (UNEP-Norway)
• 2007-2008: USD 875,480 (UNEP-Norway: USD 625,480, UNDP-Mali: USD 150,000 and GoM: USD 100,000)

The context of mainstreaming of environment in Mali

• The 1st PRSP (CSLP) was developed in 2002. The CSLP was the basis for the development of Regional Poverty Reduction Plans implemented at the district level. 
• In the 1st CSLP, Sustainable Environmental Management was not highlighted as priority and was barely mentioned.
• In 2006, the second generation of CSLP was developed. It was adopted by the Government on 20/12/06. The PEI country project team has been involved in the CSLP 2 drafting process as one of the PEI national focal points is a representative of the MEF/CSLP Unit.
• CSLP 2 – entitled National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction - recognizes Environment and sustainable management of natural resources as one of the priority areas of intervention for the country. However, the document states that the consideration of the environmental issues into sectoral policies and development planning processes at all levels (national, regional and local) remains a challenge.

Main activities of the PEI 2005-2007

• Engagement in the CSLP drafting process through participation in various workshops and consultations.
• Training of academics, policy makers, economists and CSOs to the techniques of Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA), which will lead to a better understanding of the links between poverty and the environment.
• Identification of the geographical areas - priority intervention sites - where the linkages between Poverty and Environment are the most critical in Mali.
• In order to strategically scale-up PEI-Mali with additional Danish funds, a report including a preliminary analysis of the extent to which environment is integrated into the main national development strategies and related institutional mechanisms, identifying potential ‘entry points’ and proposing strategic interventions has been developed as a basis for a high level national consultation workshop to develop the additional component.

What has been achieved to date?

• Recognition by GoM of the importance of environmental issues and their link to poverty.
• Increased awareness and improved knowledge base on the links between environment and human well-being through a training on integrated ecosystem assessment and the identification of priority interventions zones for PEI in Mali.

Lessons learned

• Importance to build up a strong Project Management Unit at country level to ensure a stronger impact on the national and local planning processes and stronger advocacy on national decision makers.
• Importance to develop and implement community based demonstration projects - for sustainable environmental management and the improvement living conditions – to (i) support decentralization of environmental management and (ii) strengthen advocacy for environmental mainstreaming into national and local development plans.

Key documents for PEI Mali

• “Cadre Stratégique pour la Croissance et la Réduction de la Pauvreté”, Republic of Mali, 2006
• Annexe I Cadrage macroéconomique 2007-2011 du CSLP 2007 - 2009
• Annexe II Cadre Budgétaire à Moyen Terme (CBMT) global 2007 - 2011 du CSLP 2007 - 2009
• Annexe III Matrice d’Actions du CSLP 2007 - 2009
• “Choix des sites d’intervention du projet renforcement de capacites nationales et locales pour une meilleure articulation des politiques environnementales dans la lutte contre la pauvrete au Mali”, Ministere de l’environnement et de l’assainissement, Republic of Mali, 2006

Way forward

• Assess the way environment was mainstreamed into CSLP 2 to develop specific recommendations for the annual CSLP review.
• Support the mainstreaming environment into sectoral strategies and the implementation of the CSLP 2.
• Support capacity building activities on sustainable environmental management targeted at decision makers and national planners.
• Conduct studies to highlight poverty and environment linkages in Mali and implement small P-E community based pilot projects at district level to influence and advocate for environmental mainstreaming into national and local development planning processes.
• Scale-up of the mainstreaming process through the development of an additional component to the current PEI-Mali project document (extension to 2009 / additional funding from Denmark) – a high level national consultation workshop is currently under preparation.