Building a sustainable EU–Mali partnership to address migration challenges

Visit of the Malian Delegation to Brussels – May 2025
Building a Sustainable EU–Mali Partnership to Address Migration Challenges

From 12 to 16 May 2025, European Strategic Initiative (ESI), in partnership with the Association for the Development and Integration of Malians Abroad (ADIME), hosted a significant Malian delegation in Brussels. The delegation was composed of mayors, civil society representatives, entrepreneurs, young leaders and members of the diaspora.

This working visit formed part of a structured dialogue aimed at strengthening cooperation between Mali and the European Union, with a focus on fostering well-managed, humane and development-oriented migration. It came at a pivotal moment, as the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum is due to enter into force.

Discussions were frank and constructive, centred on shared challenges related to migration and development, and conducted in a spirit of co-creation and mutual listening. Key topics included:
✔️ Inclusive migration governance
✔️ Job creation and local economic opportunities
✔️ The central role of diasporas in development
✔️ Migrants’ rights and the fight against human trafficking
✔️ Youth mobilisation and women’s inclusion
✔️ Territorial and decentralised cooperation

This initiative is part of a broader, multi-stakeholder dialogue involving local authorities, civil society, the diaspora, the private sector and technical partners, with the objective of making migration a genuine driver of human and economic development, rather than an inevitability.

🇪🇺 Meeting with European Institutions
A highlight of the week was the working session held with the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) of the European Commission, and the Office of the EU Special Representative for the Sahel. These discussions reaffirmed a shared commitment to maintaining open and respectful dialogue, while laying the foundations for a renewed EU approach to the challenges facing the Sahel.

🇧🇪 Exchanges with Belgian Partners
The delegation was also received by the Belgian development agency Enabel and the Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. Discussions highlighted a convergence of priorities on key issues such as climate change, access to water, local economic development, youth prospects, strengthening health systems, and recognising culture as a vital factor for stability and social cohesion.

As a gesture of recognition and encouragement, the Malian delegation presented Grégory Jullien, President of ESI, with a Ciwara mask – a powerful symbol in Bambara culture representing excellence, hard work and commitment. This symbolic gift reflects the shared determination to pursue the construction of a balanced partnership rooted in local realities.