Bamako City newly joined the GSEF association through the 2^nd General Assembly which took place in Montreal on 9 September 2016. Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali with a population of over 1.7 million with diverse ethnic groups. Bamako, as Africa’s fastest-growing city, accounts for over 24% of Mali’s GDP, 25% of the national consumption and 70% of the commercial activities of the country. Since the 1990s, rapid population growth (annually 3.6%) nationwide is posing problems to the sustainability of the city.

Bamako, in accordance with Mali’s 2014-2018 action plan and National Policy for the Promotion of the Social and Solidarity Economy, has introduced the participatory process for combating social exclusion and poverty. In Bamako, a large number of stakeholder groups and international agencies are engaging with the local government and community. Notably, nationwide NGO, RENAPESS-Mali (the National Network of Support for the Promotion of the Social Economy of Mali), which was established in 2003, is working closely with Bamako City in promoting the social and solidarity economy.

In April 2016, Bamako hosted the 4^th meeting of the African Network of the Social Solidarity Economy (RAESS). The meeting discussed various ways to promote the SSE in Africa through thematic workshops, exhibitions as well as the organisation of a youth camp which was run by 163 young entrepreneurs from Mali, Guinea and Senegal. The meeting adopted ‘the Declaration of Bamako’ (also declaration from the youth camp). 

* Hyperlinked documents are available only in French