Ministry of National Entrepreneurship Signs MoU with UNHCR to Support Refugees

Bamako, February 6, 2026 - Minister Oumou Sall Seck, head of the Ministry of National Entrepreneurship, Employment and Vocational Training (MENEFP), presided over the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), focusing on the socio-professional integration and capacity building of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless persons in Mali. The ceremony brought together UNHCR Resident Representative Pierre Camara, Ministry staff, and UNHCR personnel. Supporting Vulnerable Populations UNHCR highlighted that over 280,000 refugees reside in Mali, 58% of whom are women, and contribute to national development. The organization emphasized the importance of vocational training, micro-enterprise creation, and socio-professional integration in empowering displaced populations. Minister Oumou Sall Seck commended UNHCR’s pragmatism and recalled Mali’s commitment, under President Assimi Goïta and Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga, to protect displaced persons while creating conditions for voluntary return or integration. She underscored the need for coordinated action with national and international stakeholders to deliver effective and sustainable solutions. Key Areas of Cooperation The MoU will guide three years of collaborative initiatives, including: Institutional support for state structures in entrepreneurship, employment, and vocational training; Inclusion of refugees, IDPs, and stateless persons in national vocational training and employability programs; Enhanced cooperation to mobilize funding from development partners and financial institutions. The Minister emphasized that this partnership is rooted in Mali’s cultural concepts of “Maya” and “Diatiguiya”, reflecting collective responsibility toward vulnerable populations. She described the MoU as the foundation for future programs aimed at empowering displaced persons and integrating them into Mali’s socio-economic fabric. The memorandum is renewable every three years by mutual agreement, establishing a long-term framework for sustainable cooperation.