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Mali’s Public Procurement Sector Plagued by Corruption

Bamako, Mali - A recent report has revealed that corruption is rampant in Mali’s public procurement sector, with irregular payments and bribes being common practices. According to sources, businesses operating in the country have reported favoritism in government decisions, with public funds often being diverted.

Irregular Payments and Bribes Common

The Office of the Auditor General (Bureau du Verificatuer General [BVG]) has uncovered numerous cases of large-scale corruption, with losses estimated at over $100 million in 2013 alone. Despite this, only a handful of cases have been submitted to the Ministry of Justice and none have resulted in prosecution.

Natural Resource Sector Affected

The situation is equally dire in the natural resource sector, where gold and cotton exports account for a significant portion of Mali’s revenue. While there are no reports of corruption specifically within the sector, the high levels of corruption elsewhere in the country pose a significant risk to the industry.

Mali’s legal framework is also criticized as being inadequate, with weak enforcement of anti-corruption laws. The Penal Code criminalizes active and passive corruption, but bribery of foreign public officials and officials of public international organizations is not illegal. Furthermore, embezzlement by private sector employees is not a criminal offense.

Civil Society Efforts

Civil society in Mali is active, but freedom of speech is restricted and media self-censorship is prevalent. Despite this, the country’s civil society network is rapidly expanding with the help of donor countries.

International Concerns

The situation has raised concerns among international organizations and governments, who are urging businesses operating in Mali to take steps to mitigate corruption risks associated with public procurement. The use of specialized due diligence tools is recommended to ensure transparency and accountability in government contracts.

Sources

  • Bertelsmann Foundation: Bertelsmann Transformation Index 2016
  • World Bank: Doing Business 2016
  • International Monetary Fund: Mali: Technical Assistance Report- Anti-Corruption and Anti-Money laundering, July 2015
  • Transparency International: People and corruption: Africa survey 2015 - Global Corruption Barometer

This article is based on a report by the Office of the Auditor General (Bureau du Verificatuer General [BVG]) and other sources.