Mali's endeavor to defeat poverty n A road map for development IF anyone is tempted to simply wash their hands of African politics, it may be time to take a good look at Mali, a poverty-stricken country with a society that lives largely in peace despite ethnic differences and a lack of personal wealth. As the Ivory Coast appears to be sinking deeper and deeper in a prelude to a renewed civil war based on the intransigence of its defeated president, Mali presents an image of rightful struggle while facing serious hurdles. Mali's vulnerability lies in its northern desert where extreme poverty has fostered two of the country's greatest ills: narcotics trafficking and a recruiting ground for Al-Qaeda of the Islamic Maghreb. Although, publicly, the government does everything to downplay the problems – the desert and the fabled town of Timbuktu are major tourist destinations – its actions show a keen awareness of the threats faced there. By setting up military barracks, infirmaries, schools, shopping areas and animal markets in 11 northern towns, the Malian government hopes to establish a more visible government presence, foster economic activity and form a bulwark against lawlessness. The country's president has also proposed regional cooperation to fight the Al-Qaeda problem as Mali and others are painfully aware that controlling the growth of radical groups is beyond the ability of just one poor country. Indeed, Mauritanean troops recently crossed the border into Mali to take out an Al-Qaeda encampment. The move met with no complaint from Mali. According to one observer, there are villages in the north of Mali that have never seen a government administrator, a nurse or a teacher. Such situations prove to be fertile breeding grounds for radicalism and the only way to fix it is to develop the area, provide amenities and, ultimately, jobs. The projects planned for the area face numerous hurdles, not least of which is the reluctance of investors to go into a such a hostile environment. But there is, at least, a road map for development that will bring economic and social rewards, two of the greatest bulwarks to radicalism and drug trafficking. __
