Mali/Congo: Towards a stronger social and humanitarian partnership
During a strategic knowledge-sharing mission between African states, Dr. Irène Marie Cécile Mboukou Kimbatsa, Congo’s Minister of Social Affairs, Solidarity and Humanitarian Action, conducted an official visit to Mali to study the country’s innovative social protection systems. The May 2025 mission focused on Mali’s expertise in social policy, solidarity economics, and humanitarian assistance frameworks.
The high point came when Mali’s Transitional President, General Assimi Goïta, received the Congolese delegation on May 5 alongside Health and Social Development Minister Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré.
The discussions highlighted Mali’s successful models for crisis resilience, humanitarian response, and vulnerable population support – approaches particularly relevant for African nations facing similar challenges.
Minister Mboukou Kimbatsa praised Mali’s comprehensive social safety nets and community mobilization strategies as potential blueprints for regional adoption.
Beyond theoretical exchange, the visit established concrete bilateral cooperation pathways, including:
- Cross-border training programs for social workers
- Joint development of shock-responsive social protection systems
- Coordinated humanitarian response protocols
This South-South collaboration exemplifies how African nations are increasingly turning inward for context-appropriate solutions rather than relying solely on Western-derived models.
The ministers agreed to formalize the partnership through a technical working group that will meet quarterly to implement joint initiatives.
Jean Robert TCHANDY
