The African shipping market has the wind in its sails

The interest of large global players in maritime shipping along the African coast is one of the indicators of their confidence regarding the African growth prospects. Relatively untouched by the current crisis, sea freight sector mobilizes investors.

Large operators remain alert to opportunities while new commercial lines and stopovers are being created. This traffic represents more than 80% of the total trade in Africa. read more...

Starting a Foreign Business in Mali

This piece highlights issues for consideration when starting a foreign business in Mali in four areas: 1) foreign business start-up, 2) access to industrial land, 3) foreign ownership issues across sectors, and 4) commercial dispute arbitration. read more...

Video: Carpet Weaving

A group of women in Mali’s town of Segou are pooling their carpet-weaving skills to bring out various unique rugs. The business has gone a long way in helping them put food on the table and pay school fees for their children.
Watch Video

Fonds d'investissement du mali

Le Fond d'investissement au Mali est une plateforme financière dédiée à ceux qui souhaitent investir en Afrique de l’Ouest, dans l'idée d'en retirer un profit, et aussi dans l'optique d'une meilleure répartition des richesses au niveau mondial. C'est un lieu commun de dire que cette région du Monde souffre d'une carence en investissement étranger, levier primordial à l'essor d'une économie; c'est aussi une amère réalité qu'il convient de combattre pour tous ceux qui sont sensibles aux dégâts qu'engendrent la pauvreté et l'ignorance, et pour ceux qui ne supportent plus ce contraste attristant de deux humanités qui bénéficient de moyens si différents pour accomplir leurs rêves ou leurs œuvres. Read more

Mali Soon to Become Uranium, Bauxite and Uranium Producer

APA-Bamako (Mali) Mali began to diversify its mining output with the stated ambition to break the dominance of the gold that has been one of its main sources of growth over the last fifty years.

This is certainly not the beginning of the post-gold period, but people are talking more and more about iron ore in the country with the Moribabougou deposit, at the eastern entrance of Bamako, where a development permit has been given to the Indian group Sandeep Gard and Company.

The site contains 91 million tons of iron ore whose early work should begin operating in September with a view to creating 1,636 jobs and nearly CFA 30 billion incomes for Malians in 10 years.

Sahara Mining SA will manage the site, a subsidiary percent "Sandeep Gard and Company" (SGNCO) by 80%, the remaining 20% capital is for the Malian state.

Moreover, the country plans to join in 2012 the circle of uranium-producing countries after the award to a Canadian company “Rockgate Capital Corporation” a license to operate the Falea deposit, a rural town in Kayes region (west).

Work is underway in parallel for the start in 2016 of the mining operations of 420 million tonnes of bauxite ore by the British firm CAMEC (Central African Mining and Exploration Co) in the same Falea area.

However, gold should retain its dominant position in the domestic economy, thanks to the Syama Mine (west), which resumed operations on 6 May, with the hope of contributing 6 to 7 tonnes of the 50 tonnes of gold produced annually.

This desire to diversify mining products in Mali is the result of the increasing prospects of energy availability and the rise in commodity prices, considering future depletion of major gold mines. more

Mali to begin iron ore mining in Sept - ministry

Mali will become West Africa's newest iron ore producer when Indian-owned firm Sahara Mining starts digging the steelmaking ingredient in September, a mines ministry official said on Friday. The $41 million Tienfala project, around 20 km from the capital Bamako, will be Mali's first iron ore mine, said Lassana Guindo, head of the department of geology and mines at the Mines Ministry. more

IMF's economic forecast for Mali through 2015

IMF's economic forecast for Mali through 2015

All currencies in USD

Year Growth GDP GNI Population(millions)

2009 4.5% 8.9 $1172 13.6

2010 5.1% 9.5 $1213 13.9

2011 6.3% 10.3 $1279 14.3

2012 5.3% 11.0 $1340 14.6

2013 5.2% 11.8 $1404 14.9

2014 5.0% 12.7 $1468 15.3

2015 4.4% 13.5 $1527 15.6

http://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/index.php

IMF World GDP Forecast through 2015

GDP forecasts for countries by the IMF through 2015 --> link

Fund increases China's African stake

The China Africa Development Fund opened its second African office in Addis Ababa recently. Formed as a result of a China African cooperation summit, the fund looks to promote Chinese companies in Africa while assisting the continent's development. more

China Africa News. more

Rush for Land Along the Niger

Bamako — Domestic and international investors are taking over increasing amounts of arable land in Mali.

In the Macina commune of south-central Mali, a giant irrigation canal is in the final stages of construction. Libya is in the process of developing 100,000 hectares of land it has leased adjacent to the Niger River. more

China in Africa International Perspectives on a Developing Relationship

A conference focusing on China’s increasing investment and presence in Africa and the potential implications for the U.S. and other countries will be accessible via live webcast April 23 and 24 at the following link:

http://mediasite-server.nmsu.edu/ictmsite5/Catalog/pages/catalog.aspx?catalogId=ed94e0a6-c67f-4d98-9ecd-f3599ecc0d50.

Enjoy these latest pics of Bamako!

Soon to be completed "Hopital du Mali" in Yirimadio, Bamako being built by China

Villas in Cite du Niger - Bamako, Mali

New 3 level commercial center with adjacent parking garage in Downtown, Bamako - Mali

Quds Avenue in ACI 2000 in Bamako, Mali. Credit to "Mamadou"

Quds Avenue, ACI 2000, Bamako-Mali (Credit to Mamadou)

European Alliance Building in Quartier du Fleuve - Bamako, Mali

Another great African Architecture

China Mali Friendship Bridege to be completed by September 22, 2010

The Changing Shape of Mali's Mangos

Check out a 7 minute video of Mali's growing mango exports to Europe brought to you by Reuters

Documents of Key Projects and Reforms to be Mali's Government Plans to Implement between 2007-2012 (French)

Documents of Key Projects and Reforms to be Mali's Government Plans to Implement between 2007-2012


- RAPPORT ANNUEL 2007 DU VERIFICATEUR GENERAL

- Rice Initiative

- Program for Social and Economic Development (PDES)

- PRODESS II

- Presentation on Sugar Plant of Markala as a Public-Private Partnership (SOSUMAR)

- Presidential Counsel on Investment (CPI - MALI) February 2008

- Superior Council on Agriculture

- Presentation on CSRSP

Mali: Beyond Cotton, Searching for "Green Gold"

The Malian economy faces the challenge of reducing its over-dependence on cotton and gold. In order to do so, a search for “green gold” — commercial agriculture beyond cotton — is underway. Mali has started to exploit export market opportunities for horticulture products in Europe as well as in neighbouring countries. Moreover, the country is currently testing the introduction of domestic wheat production for local processing. This document was produced by the OECD

The Direction Nationale du Commerce et de la Concurrence (DNCC) is responsible for developing and supporting trade promotion activities to increase their role in the economic devellopment of Mali. Click here to visit their website

TradeMap

Finally, a strategy for exporting shea nuts, sesame and gum arabic in Mali

Bamako's Digital Multimedia Bookshop on Afrigadget.com

In downtown Bamako, Mali an entrepreneurial bookshop owner, Mamadou Coulibaly, has been attracting an ever-increasing number of clients and curious onlookers since the owner set up an odd-looking computer. “The Source” is a handmade computer box that acts as an offline distributor of online multimedia material. Anyone can step up to the kiosk and pick up anything from Wikipedia pages to local music. Their most popular requests: the Koran and Malian music. more

Newly Launched Dow Jones Africa Titans 50 Index

NEW YORK, July 10, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, today launched the Dow Jones Africa Titans 50 Index, a pan-African index that measures the stock performance of 50 companies that are headquartered in or generate the majority of their revenues in Africa. Market participants have either direct or indirect exposure to the following 11 markets in Africa: Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. Click here to see how the DJAFK index is performing

Initiative Riz du Mali on Continent Noir

I like this report by TV5 on the Rice Initiative undertaken by the government of Mali for 2008-2009 campaign. more

Jeune Afrique: La Methode ATT

Dossier pays sur le Mali dans Jeune Afrique. Detaille sur l'economie, les infrastructures, l'agriculture, les mines, etc...

Detailed Map of 2007 Presidentail Results in Mali

View detailed results of Mali's 2007 Presidential elections by regions brought to you by Georgraphy 2.0