This country study has been undertaken under joint funding from CIDA, DFID and UNEP, and managed by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK. It was tabled in draft form in January 2008 and was formally presented to the Environment working group of the Mali Development Partners on 20th, March 2008. The written and verbal comments received have been incorporated in this final version. The Mali study forms part of a wider study, which includes cases studies of Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania, whose purpose is, firstly, to analyse and document experience in transferring environmental priorities from national plans to budgets, and through into government implementation plans, and , secondly, to identify how Development Partners can facilitate and support such processes within the context of increasing budget support. The primary audiences are government officials in the respective countries and their environment/natural resources counterparts in Development Agencies. A secondary audience are non-environment specialists involved in the design and management of budget support arrangements.

In the case of Mali, we set out to examine the relationship between policies, budgets and institutions within the environment sector against the benchmark of the protection of the status quo. Was the current level (and use) of public finance and the current policy and institutional framework for the environment sufficient to ensure that the status of the nation’s natural capital could be sustained?

The study therefore provides an assessment of whether current financing levels and structures, existing policies and institutional structures in Mali are adequate to ensure proper maintenance of the environment. It then examines the contribution of Development Partners to these processes, assessing the effects of the financing and technical assistance currently being provided. In the light of the judgements reached on these questions, we then consider what might be needed to strengthen current financing, policies and structures and whether there might be a useful role in such a process for general or sectoral budget support.