JAPAN and the WORLD Magazine OCTOBER ISSUE 2015 #Issue 13 | Page 22

MALI
FRANCOPHONIE
QA
INTERVIEW:
H.E. MR. MAHAMANE ELHADJI BANIA TOURE
Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to Japan
MALI
ON THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
経済発展への道へ
The Bridge of Badalabougou in Bamako.
This year Mali is celebrating
the 55th anniversary of its
independence, the 55th anniversary
of the cooperation between
Mali and Japan, and the 13th
anniversary of the establishment
of the Embassy of Mali in Japan.
How do you work on deepening the
bilateral ties with Japan?
I must recall that the primary mission of the
Embassy is strengthening of the bilateral
relations between our country and Japan, both
at the political and economic levels. To achieve
this goal, we maintain a close contact with the
Japanese authorities, private sector and other
stakeholders. The Embassy also strives to
deepen people-to-people relationship between
our two countries. In that regard, we work
with the civil society organizations, prefectures
and municipalities throughout Japan.
To conclude my answer, the bilateral
relationship between Mali and Japan is
strong and excellent since our cooperation
reach all the areas relevant to the
development of Mali: education, health,
agriculture, food security, infrastructure,
water and sanitation, peace and stability.
21 // OCTOBER 2015
On the road to economic
development, the Government of
Mali is facing security challenges.
How are you responding to those
issues and what are the main
objectives of the government?
As you rightly mentioned, Mali is facing
security challenges on the road to economic
development. Starting in January 2012, Mali
has experienced in its Northern part, armed
insurgency and terrorism. His Excellency
Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA is fully aware
of the challenges you mentioned. Knowing
the importance of peace and security for
economic development, President KEITA
has worked relentlessly, since the first hours
of his inauguration, to negotiate a peace and
a reconciliation accord with the rebel groups
of Northern Mali. The efforts of the President
and of the Government of Mali, with the
support of the international community,
have been crowned by a great success with
the signing the peace and reconciliation
Agreement on May 15th 2015 and the
completion of its signing on June 20th 2015.
The major and foremost goal of His
Excellency Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA is
to achieve peace, security and economic
development for Mali. To attain this
objective, President KEITA has assigned to
the Government of Mali an action program
for 2013-2018, underpinned by six pillars:
01.
Establishment of strong and credible
institutions.
02. Restauration
of security for people and
property across the national territory.
03. Implementation
of an active national
reconciliation policy.
04. Rehabilitation
in Mali.
05. Building
of the education system
an emerging economy.
06. Implementation
of an active social
development policy.
As Ambassador of Mali, I would like to seize
this opportunity to thank the international
community for its support to His Excellency
President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA and the
Government of Mali in the efforts to restore
peace, security and stability in Mali.
Mali is renowned for producing
musical icons famous on the African
JAPAN AND THE WORLD MAGAZINE