There are 4 million members of the Malian diaspora worldwide, 250,000 of whom reside in Europe, with more than half of them in France. The diaspora is acknowledged as one of the pillars of development in Mali. In 2021, the diaspora transferred US$4 million, 5 per cent of Mali’s GDP. In addition to remittances to relatives to primarily cover regular consumption, members of the Malian diaspora have historically engaged in social development through their organizations.

However, there is a new generation and new practices at work and the diaspora has turned more towards investment in business, including investment by individuals. The goal is both lasting societal impact and financial return. Recent research conducted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has shown that the majority of associations and households wish to invest in businesses within the agricultural sector (which represent 40 per cent of the country’s GDP), and, specifically, in businesses belonging to members of the diaspora and their relatives.

However, today, this desire to invest conflicts with the lack of dependable solutions for channeling investment to business. The goal of the Diaspora Investment in Sustainable Rural Youth Entrepreneurship in Mali programme is to support these developments by proposing professional investment solutions adapted to this group’s needs.