BRUSSELS, May 1 7- International donors made pledged to mobilise 3.25 billion euro (US$4.18 billion) to support Mali’s reconstruction, the European Commission said Wednesday.
“Donors have made public financial commitments on the basis of the Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of Mali 2013-2014 (PRED) presented by the Malian government,” said a statement issued after an international donor conference on Mali held in Brussels.
“Of the 4.34 billion euro (US$5.59 billion) budget needed to implement the PRED, financial pledges for 3.25 billion euros have been announced by donors,” the statement said.
The conference was organised by the European Union (EU) in coordination with France and Mali.
“It is crucial that Mali’s social and economic development and the consolidation of a stable state built on solid democratic foundations go hand in hand with efforts to stabilise the country,” said European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.
French President Francois Hollande said: “Mali is recovering its territorial integrity and is actively preparing for presidential elections in July and with the donor conference in Brussels, is making progress in its development.”
Mali’s interim President Dioncounda Traore said the European Union will provide training for its defense and security forces through the European Union Training Mission (EUTM).
-BERNAMA
