French development minister on fact-finding visit to Mali

French Development Minister Pascal Canfin arrived in Mali Monday to undertake consultations at several levels ahead of an international donor conference to be co-hosted by France and the European Union in the coming weeks. France intervened militarily in Mali on January 10 at the request of the Malian authorities who feared they would be overrun by Islamist-led extremist groups which had control of northern Mali for almost a year. The lightening push-back of these groups has now led to a second phase of consolidating the recovery of most of Mali, putting in place an African and probably a UN peace-keeping force there, the holding of elections in July and the establishment of a multi-ethnic democracy in the country. But development aid is sorely needed in Mali and France is seeking to spearhead, with the European Union, an effort to finance this development. Already, close to USD 500 million was pledged at the Addis Ababa conference earlier but this was exclusively to equip and train the Malian army and also to finance the almost 8,000-strong African force that is being deployed. In April, France hopes to hand over \"operational and financial responsibility\" for Mali to the United Nations, which is likely to absorb much of the African forces in that country into a \"blue helmet\" operation. This will be discussed and decided upon in the UN Security Council. The French Development Minister is meeting with \"all concerned actors\" in Mali to determine the \"urgent and more long-term needs\" for that country. He is meeting with Malian authorities, as well as with UN officials and members of humanitarian organisations on the spot there. Canfin will also be discussing with the Malian government \"an action plan\" that can be presented to the international donors\' conference which will be held in Brussels.