21/10/2022 Rome, Italy – On the sidelines of the World Food Forum, the Director of FAO’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation division (PST), Mr Anping Ye, met with His Excellency, Mr Aly Coulibaly, Ambassador Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mali to the Rome Based Agencies (RBAs) and his delegation, to discuss potential joint collaboration on South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC).

His Excellency, Mr Aly Coulibaly, noted the importance of the Hand-in-Hand initiative launched by FAO’s Director-General, QU Dongyu, and how SSTC has a fundamental role to play within this initiative. 

He also stated that SSTC is a very important means to concretize the implementation of the country’s investment plans, currently under discussion, which will also benefit women in Mali.

Mr Anping Ye thanked H.E. Mr Aly Coulibaly for Mali’s support to SSTC and presented the PST’s SSTC vision for the coming years, and related how SSTC will be supporting numerous FAO initiatives, such as the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) to develop green and sustainable value chains, and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) countries. In this context, he reiterated the importance of further strengthening joint collaboration on SSTC with Mali.

The two exchanged remarks on the importance and need for agrifood systems transformation and the critical role SSTC plays in mobilizing technical and financial partnerships and investments to bridge and complement knowledge and resources gaps, as well as scale-up solutions.

The recently launched South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) Guidelines for Action publication was also presented to the Mali delegation, which showcases FAO’s SSTC strategic areas of focus.

Mr. Anping Ye also highlighted Uganda’s recent contribution of nearly $10 million to the 3rd phase of the South-South Cooperation project with FAO and the People's Republic of China, focused on crop, animal husbandry and aquaculture production, and how this type of collaboration could be further replicated in Mali.

The two also agreed on key strategic priorities and potential trainings and joint capacity building activities, to be further discussed also with the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF).

His Excellency expressed Mali’s availability to work closely with FAO’s SSTC division and also noted that Mali has taken important steps to develop its market gardening in Bamako, in order to boost exports, whilst at the same time providing products of high nutritional value. He also referred to ongoing efforts with regards to Mali’s livestock sector. 

Both parties underscored the importance and need to work with different types of partners, including emerging donors and triangular partners. Further discussions on how to increase investments and potential joint collaborations will be addressed in the near future.