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Mali

Capital: Bamako; GDP grouth (annual %) 2016: 5.3%;

Africa’s economic growth in 2016 was driven by East Africa

While the continent’s major economies were hit by the fall in commodity prices in 2016, Africa retained its position as the second-fastest growing continent globally recording an average of 2.2% GDP increase, behind only South Asia, according to the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Much of Africa’s increase in 2016, AfDB says, was driven by East Africa where several nations recorded “strong performances.” In general, of the continent’s sub-regions, East Africa posted the highest increase rate with 5.3%, led by Ethiopia.
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Africa property offers rich pickings for the brave

Some property pundits believe there are major opportunities for investors or companies on the continent.

While most pundits will acknowledge that the saying “Africa is not for sissies” rings authentic at the same time as it comes to property investment , some commentators believe that there are major opportunities for investors on the continent.
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Mali: ICC Orders Ex-Islamic Radical to Pay Damages for Destruction of Shrines

The International Criminal Court has ordered an Islamic extremist to pay $3.2 million in restitution for destroying centuries-old religious shrines in Mali.

Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi was convicted by the court last year for overseeing the destruction of nine mausoleums and a mosque door with pickaxes and bulldozers in the ancient city of Timbuktu, at the same time as extremists briefly seized control of northern Mali in 2012.
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Key Facts: Full name: The Republic of Mali
Population: 15.8 million (UN, 2011)
Area: 1.25 million sq km (482,077 sq miles)
Major languages: French, Bambara, Berber, Arabic
Major religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs
Life expectancy: 51 years (men), 53 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
Main exports: Cotton, gold, livestock
GNI per capita: US $600 (World Bank, 2010)
Internet domain: .ml
International dialling code: +223

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Country profile

Africa's Relationship With China Is Ancient History
2017/07/02
In 2002 South Africa's Parliament unveiled a digital reproduction of a map - of China, the Middle East and Africa - that some speculated could be the initial map of the African continent. The Da Ming Hun Yi Tu - the Comprehensive Map of the Great Ming Empire - was drawn up around 1389 during the Ming Dynasty, according to historian Hyunhee Park.

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Climate change laws around the world
2017/05/14
There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of global climate change laws since 1997, according to the most comprehensive database of relevant policy and legislation.

The database, produced by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Sabin Center on Climate Change Law, includes more than 1,200 relevant policies across 164 countries, which account for 95% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

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Classroom at the rural primary school Ecole Keur Madaro near Thies, Senegal.
2016/05/28
Over the last 15 years, West African governments and the international community have been successful at expanding access to primary schooling and from presently on, a ground-breaking regional learning assessment has revealed that the quality of education has remained elusive. The majority of children surveyed were not acquiring the basic literacy and math skills that are crucial for building human capital in the region.

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Edoh Kossi Amenounve is chief executive of the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières.
2014/01/14
Francophone west Africa’s regional stock exchange, the BRVM, suffers from low turnover and a lack of listings. But its chief executive tells Paul Wallace he is determined to change that and bring about closer ties with Nigeria and Ghana’s stock markets.

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Mali plans mine contract review
2013/09/15
The west African country’s new government will review contracts in a bid to realise real returns from its mineral reserves

Mali’s new government will continue a programme to review existing mining and hydrocarbons contracts and stands to renegotiate any which are not in the country’s interests, the incoming mining minister Boubou Cisse has said.

"The government has decided to carry out a complete inventory of what exists - mining contracts, titles, licenses - be it in the mining or the oil sector," Mr Cisse, a former World Bank economist, told Reuters next taking office.

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Africa: Making Things Happen at the Bank - 'Not a Talk Shop' - Akin Adesina
2017/07/02
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is focusing on five areas to achieve the African and world goals for a prosperous continent since becoming president of the African Development Bank - Africa's major public financial institution in September 2015. He was a keynote speaker at this month's Corporate Council on Africa's U.S.- Africa Business Summit in Washington D.C. and moderated a lively panel with five African government ministers. He as well received the Gene White Lifetime Succcess Award from the World Child Nutrition Foundation. This week, he was named the 2017 recipient of the World Food Prize, a prestigious honor that includes a $250,000 award. In an interview in Washington, DC, Adesina discussed the Development Bank's ambitious schedule and his vision for attracting the increase capital Africa needs. Posting questions for AllAfrica was Noluthando Crockett-Ntonga.

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Outlook for 2013-14
2013/09/16
The country (Mali) It has borders with Burkina Faso for 1000 km, Cote d'Ivoire for 532 km, Algeria for 1376 km, Guinea for 858km, Mauritania for 2237 km, Niger for 821 km and Senegal for 419 km.
It is situated in Western Africa, southwest of Algeria.
Land in Mali is mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast.
Malian land covers an area of 1240000 km².

The climate is subtropical to arid, hot and dry (February to June), rainy, humid, and mild (June to November), cool and dry (November to February).

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