The Vision: A Stable Mali Enjoying Sustainable Peace and Economic Growth

To achieve the vision, Denmark will expand and consolidate its comprehensive, integrated and strong partnership with Mali within three mutually reinforcing strategic objectives in line with key Malian policy and development documents, including the Algiers Peace Agreement, Danish policy priorities related to addressing poverty and fragility, economic growth and irregular immigration, as well as key EU strategic documents and plans for Mali and the Sahel:

1. Promotion of peaceful coexistence and increased stability and security
2. Strengthened democratic and inclusive governance
3. Increased inclusive and sustainable economic growth

Recognising that political, security, social and economic progress is interdependent, the integrated stabilisation approach for Denmark´s engagement in fragile and conflict-affected areas will provide strategic direction during the pursuit of the overall vision. It is a conflict sensitive whole of government approach that builds s experiences in similar situations. It will help ensure the effective and balanced use of the instruments available, including development cooperation taking into account the cohesion of the country. The approach will serve to ensure policy coherence and joined up strategies within a regional perspective where relevant, while preserving the independence, neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian assistance. The approach will address key underlying drivers of conflict, irregular and forced migration and violent extremism etc. in the Malian context.

In pursuing the vision, a broad range of diplomatic, political, military, humanitarian and commercial instruments as well as bilateral, regional and multilateral development cooperation will come into play under each strategic objective. Multiple instruments will be used simultaneously in a flexible manner, taking advantage of synergies across instruments. The aim will be to ensure that our relations continuously stay relevant and effective in a situation of changing national and regional dynamics. At the same time we will forge a partnership where Mali and Denmark will continue to pursue joint political agendas internationally and regionally, as has been the case e.g. on countering violent extremism.

Denmark remains committed to human rights and gender equality in all its dimensions. Working with like-minded partners, Denmark will assert political influence to ensure that human rights and especially girls and women’s rights are protected and promoted. In order to address the root-causes of Mali’s crisis in a holistic manner, Denmark will apply the Human Rights-based Approach, using non-discrimination, participation and inclusion, transparency and accountability as guiding standardsfrom initial analysis to final evaluation.

The Danish development partnership with Mali will be based on the following strategic principles:

• Denmark will apply and advocate for a realistic, long-term transformational view of continued progress towards the vision as well as a long-term commitment and a flexible approach to be able to adapt to changing situations.
• In order to simultaneously contribute to developing capacity and building trust between the Malian people and state at local and central levels, Denmark will consider a balanced mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches.
• In the pursuit of sustainable results, Denmark will work for the integration of results and accountability measures into monitoring and evaluation systems. Recognising that risks are integral to the Malian context, Denmark will approach and handle risks in an open and transparent manner, and communicate about the relations between risks and results.