Days of hope in Bamako

The capital city, the major trading hub of the region, has held to its industrious reputation and the spirit of its inhabitants. Despite the uncertainties, projects are moving forward. And much is expected of the peace agreements.

Take-off from Roissy to Bamako. The flight is far from full. Around twenty French soldiers in desert-coloured camouflage occupy several rows. On France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, Mali has been declared a red zone in the Northeast since the coup in 2012. And the capital has been declared orange for months, especially after the attack at gunpoint on La Terrasse restaurant, which resulted in five deaths on 7th March. Seen from the outside, as often happens, the entire country has a reputation as a security risk. For three years, Mali has been in the news because of the various armed interventions that have taken place there: Serval, the French Operation in January 2013, whose mission was to halt the progress of Islamists allied to Al Qaeda towards Bamako, then the deployment of MINUSMA Peacekeepers in July, and lastly the establishment of the largest anti-jihadist operation, called Barkhane, which followed Serval in August 2014. There is talk of the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), of the group Ansar Dine, and the Coordination of Movements for Azawad (CMA). Insecurity reigns in the desert regions of the North, regularly affected by attacks and mine explosions, particularly around the city of Kidal, more or less always under Islamist control. Faced with this reality, it is surprising to see how the Malian capital resists. True to its reputation as the great trading hub of the region, the vitality of its inhabitants seems intact. It must be said that over 1,500 km separates it from sensitive areas. “There are two Malis”, says Ali, a driver. “Bamako, which is working, and the others up there, that have the problems. But it’s far away, although some people do have family there and we must also work for them.”

Vigorous Growth

It has to be said that in early May, and despite a relentless temperature of around 45º C, the capital with nearly two million inhabitants, spread across both banks of the River Djoliba (the local name for the River Niger) looks very much like an industrious city with its traffic jams, its shambolic two-wheelers, where everybody goes about their (multiple) business. Workers are busy on numerous building sites, especially in the ACI 2000 district where large companies are building their headquarters in areas serviced by the State. Elsewhere, many people speculated on private land that is resold between traders to release substantial amounts in cash circulating in the country, where 80% of business is conducted informally. The security crisis and installation of MINUSMA troops or even trainers come to train the local army, have generated a kind of small war economy. Rents have increased due to this new demand, and three entire hotels, such as the Nord-Sud, l’Amitié and El-Farouk, have been “requisitioned” for the year for the needs of the different foreign military missions. A quota of rooms is almost constantly booked for them at the Radisson and Salam. This largely compensates for the drop in tourism since 2012, at least the kind of tourism for visitors in need of desert journeys to Timbuktu and Gao, which transited through the capital. Business trips, however, have stayed steady.

Infrastructure projects and joint ventures in agriculture have mostly resumed, especially in the South. Funding and foreign aid are back.