Faced with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID -19), which is exacerbating
humanitarian challenges in Mali, already confronted with the cumulative effects of
terrorism, global warming, and the anticipated risk of the invasion of crop pests such as
desert locusts and the Fall armyworm, the ECOWAS Commission provided support to the
Malian Government on Saturday 7 th November 2020 for the most vulnerable households.
This regional solidarity was demonstrated through food donations of 793 tons of cereals
comprising of millet, maize, sorghum, and rice.
The first donation consists of 237 tons of
cereals financed by the ECOWAS Commission’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund for
Disaster and Emergency Relief to Member States affected by a humanitarian crisis while
the second donation of 556 tons is funded by the resources of the Regional Food Security
Storage Support Project, which the European Union is financing for a total amount of €56
million.
These two donations, complementing the multidimensional support that the ECOWAS
Commission has provided to Mali since the advent of COVID-19 in the country on March
24 th , 2020, were handed over to Mr. Alhamdou Ag Ilène, Minister for the Malian Diaspora
and African Integration by Mr. Sekou Sangaré and Dr. Siga Fatima Jagne, Commissioners
in charge of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources and Social Affairs and Gender
respectively at the ECOWAS Commission.
"The contribution of the ECOWAS Emergency Humanitarian Fund to the Malian
Government's efforts aims at helping the most vulnerable households to cope with the
multiple crises while preserving their livelihood and dignity," Commissioner Jagne said
before inviting all development actors to work, in a concerted manner, to curb recurring
crises to which the perverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been added.
In the same vein, her colleague Sangaré insisted that the COVID-19 pandemic cuts across
all sectors and disrupts production, storage, marketing, processing, and distribution of
agricultural and food products. As such, Mali and the entire region must build on the
lessons learned, take advantage of the enormous potential of the region to increase animal
and plant production, and move forward to food security and sovereignty.
For Minister Alhamdou, representing the Malian Government, these food donations come
at the right time because the food needs of the populations (particularly internally
displaced persons and children affected by malnutrition) are enormous. He expressed the
warm thanks of the Malian People to the ECOWAS Commission and committed his
colleague, Mr. Redouwane Ag Mohamed Ali, Minister for Food Security, to ensure that
these donations are effectively distributed free of charge to the targeted most vulnerable
households.
Recalling that the ECOWAS Humanitarian Policy aims to prevent, mitigate, and provide
durable solutions to the complex emergencies and its effects, including natural and man-
made disasters in the region. It complements the ECOWAS Disaster Risk Reduction Policy
which focuses on disaster risk reduction through the design of interventions aimed at
reducing risks as an obstacle to development.
Established on February 28, 2013 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, by the ECOWAS
Heads of State and Government, the Regional Food Security Reserve aims, to
complement the efforts of Member States to provide diversified rapid food and nutritional
assistance.
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