Mali and UEMOA Launch Agricultural White Paper to Boost Priority Sectors

Bamako, June 1, 2026 - Mali and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) have reinforced agricultural cooperation following high-level talks focused on the launch of a strategic white paper targeting key agricultural sectors across the region.

Mali’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr Ibrahima Samake, accompanied by senior officials from his ministry, received a delegation from the UEMOA Commission led by Commissioner Paul Koffi Koffi, responsible for the Department of Business Development, Mines, Energy, and the Digital Economy.

The mission aimed to present and officially launch UEMOA’s white paper dedicated to three priority sectors considered critical to regional agricultural transformation: phosphate and fertilizers, rice production, and textile cotton.

The initiative is designed to enhance agricultural production and productivity across UEMOA member states through an investment portfolio estimated at 6,000 billion CFA francs over a 15-year period from 2026 to 2040.

During the meeting, Minister Samake highlighted the strategic importance Mali places on the initiative, emphasizing its alignment with broader regional ambitions to position agriculture as a key driver of economic growth and sustainable development within UEMOA member countries.