UPDATE: Nigeria To Support Mali With $2million For Elections

Nigeria on Wednesday pledged a donation of two million U.S. dollars
(about N320m) in support of agricultural development and conduct of
free and fair elections in Mali.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo made the pledge in Brussels at the
International Donors Conference on the Development of Mali, organised
by the EU, a statement by Malam Umar Sani, the Vice-President's Senior
Special Assistant on Media, said.

The statement quoted the vice-president as saying that Nigeria had so
far spent 45 million U.S. dollars (about N7.2 billion) on the ongoing
efforts to achieve peace and restore normalcy in Mali.


He said Nigeria had also committed moneys to humanitarian assistance,
rehabilitation, administration and maintenance of military operations
for the restoration of peace in the country.

Sambo acknowledged that reconstruction of post-conflict-Mali required
strong international support.

He, however, stressed the need to identify the root causes of the
crisis and to take into cognisance the diversity of the Malian
society.

The vice-president pledged Nigeria's commitment to the restoration of
peace in country.

"We are committed to support a comprehensive integration of Northern
Mali through inclusive consultations and dialogue that would create
opportunity for socio-economic development and be beneficial to all
Malians.''

The vice president thanked President Francois Hollande of France for
his intervention in Mali, and called for his continued support for the
maintenance of territorial integrity and development of the country.

He also thanked Mr Dicouda Traore, the head of the transitional
government of Mali, for sharing the country's vision as reflected in
the strategic plan for 2013-2014.

Sambo lauded the collaborative efforts of the ECOWAS, the EU and the
UN to restore peace in Mali.

The conference, organised in collaboration with Mali's transitional
government, is aimed at offering financial and logistic support to
Mali.

The financial support is meant to rebuild post-war Mali under a
comprehensive development strategic plan.

It includes rebuilding government institutions and the military,
repairing damaged infrastructure, organising presidential election,
holding dialogue with rebel groups in the north, and stimulating the
economy.