Mali is famous for its consensus policy which has contributed to a political stability that has characterised the country since the national conference in 1991 where the conflict between Tuareg rebels and the government ended. Since the country's first local election in 1999, Mali has achieved prominent results with the decentralisation process due to geniuen political support for reforms. Mali has in this aspect become a regional leader.

Mali is ranked as no. 174 on UNDP’s Human Development Index. E.g. 72% of the population lives below the UN-established poverty limit.

The challenges, which Mali is facing, demands that the country's scarce natural resources and its economy, to a much greater extent than today, is managed sustainably to satisfy the needs of a quickly growing population. Environmental problems, that threatens the basis of people's existence as soil depletion and woodcutting with subsequent erosion and desertification, needs to be addressed. Natural resources are Mali's most important source of income and it is therefore decisive for the success of poverty alleviation that food production is not only more effective but also more diversified.

OVE has since 2004 been in contact with MFC Nyetaa concerning projects that can address natural resource management. In 2008, the first project has begun:

• Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection (SUDEP)

Mali Folkecenter (MFC) was created by Ibrahim Togola in 1999 inspired by the Danish NGO, Nordvestjysk Folkecenter. Like its Danish counterpart, MFC has a strong focus on renewable energy besides working with sustainable resource management more generally and poverty alleviation. Since its start, MFC has grown considerably and has activities all over the country today.

In 2007, MFC included the word Nyetaa in its name meaning 'development/progress' in the Malian tongue Bamana.
Read more about MFC Nyetaa here