The Italian Ambassador to Mali, Stefano A. Dejak, took part in the International Diaspora Forum held in Bamako, participating in a panel discussion alongside the Minister for Malians abroad and African integration, Mossa Ag Attaher, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré. The discussion focused on ways to enhance productive investment through the significant flow of remittances sent by Diaspora communities in Europe to these African countries.
The Diaspora Forum addressed the theme: “Perspectives and challenges of a diaspora at the heart of national economic development”. In opening the debate, Minister Mossa Ag Attaher highlighted that increasing productive investments from the Diaspora is a key driver for creating employment opportunities, particularly for Malian youth who are in urgent need of tangible alternatives to irregular migration.
Ambassador Dejak recalled that Italian Development Cooperation, through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), is investing eight million euros in support of this objective: two million via a project implemented by IFAD, and a further four million to be allocated to Civil Society Organisations, with a focus on agricultural initiatives and particular attention to the roles of women and young people.
The Forum also saw the participation of a significant delegation of the Malian Diaspora in Italy, who publicly expressed their appreciation for the role of Italian Cooperation in Mali. The event was attended as well by the Regional Director of AICS in Dakar, Giovanni Grandi, supported by the AICS representative in Mali, Claudia Berlendis.
