• Mali signs three-year employment and training partnership with UNHCR

• Deal targets refugee, displaced, and stateless persons’ economic integration

• Mali hosts over 250,000 refugees and 402,000 internally displaced people

Mali’s Minister of National Entrepreneurship, Employment and Vocational Training, Oumou Sall Seck, on Friday chaired the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

The agreement was signed in the presence of UNHCR’s resident representative, Pierre Camara, and officials from both institutions. It will initially run for three years and may be renewed.

The partnership aims to strengthen institutional capacity and support the economic integration of refugees, internally displaced people and stateless persons living in Mali.

The agreement is built around three main areas of action. The first focuses on supporting state institutions responsible for employment and vocational training. The second seeks to integrate the targeted populations into national training systems and programmes to improve employability. The third aims to strengthen cooperation with development partners and financial institutions to secure funding for sustainable initiatives.

The agreement comes as humanitarian needs remain high and the economic integration of refugees and displaced people remains a major challenge, according to the authorities. By focusing on training and access to jobs, Mali and UNHCR say the partnership could help turn vulnerability into an opportunity for economic and social development, in line with national employment and training priorities.

The scale of the challenge is significant. In 2025, Mali hosted more than 250,000 refugees, including about 138,000 registered with UNHCR, as well as around 402,000 internally displaced people in need of protection and assistance, according to UNHCR data. Insecurity, economic fragility and strong demographic pressure continue to limit access to jobs and training for these vulnerable groups.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou