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Nigeria on Wednesday pledged a
donation of two million U.S. dollars
(about N320m) in support of
agricultural development and
conduct of free and fair elections in
Mali.
Vice-President Namadi Sambo made
the pledge in Brussels at the
International Donors Conference on
the Development of Mali, organised
by the EU, a statement by Malam
Umar Sani, the Vice-President's
Senior Special Assistant on Media,
said.
The statement quoted the vice-
president as saying that Nigeria had
so far spent 45 million U.S. dollars
(about N7.2 billion) on the ongoing
efforts to achieve peace and restore
normalcy in Mali.
He said Nigeria had also committed
moneys to humanitarian assistance,
rehabilitation, administration and
maintenance of military operations
for the restoration of peace in the
country.
Sambo acknowledged that
reconstruction of post-conflict-Mali
required strong international
support.
He, however, stressed the need to
identify the root causes of the crisis
and to take into cognisance the
diversity of the Malian society.
The vice-president pledged Nigeria's
commitment to the restoration of
peace in country.
"We are committed to support a
comprehensive integration of
Northern Mali through inclusive
consultations and dialogue that
would create opportunity for socio-
economic development and be
beneficial to all Malians.''
The conference, organised in
collaboration with Mali's transitional
government, is aimed at offering
financial and logistic support to Mali.
The financial support is meant to
rebuild post-war Mali under a
comprehensive development
strategic plan.
It includes rebuilding government
institutions and the military,
repairing damaged infrastructure,
organising presidential election,
holding dialogue with rebel groups in
the north, and stimulating the
economy.

http://gistmetro..com/2013/05/jonathan-promised-to-give-mali-2million.html