Mali Transition Initiative (MTI) Quarterly Report FY2013 FY2014 – Q1

Agency for International Development (USAID) in June 2013. The first quarter of Fiscal Year 2014 was significant for MTI as a substantial number of staff joined the program, programming expanded, and the program held its first Strategy Review Session (SRS). MTI made substantial contributions to the November 2013 legislative elections, while expanding its support for reconciliation in northern communities affected by conflict. MTI cleared 30 activities valued at $1,088,936 during the October to December 2013 period. A total of $1,969,690 TAP funds were committed through December 2013, broken down by funding source. Of the activities cleared during the quarter, one-third contributed to the governance program objective, and two-thirds contributed to the reconciliation objective. The total dollar amount was nearly even, as indicated in the table at right. A detailed list of grants is included in Annex A. MTI provided considerable support to the legislative elections through nine activities valued at $528,664. Successful legislative elections were an important step towards reestablishing a representative, internationally recognized democracy in Mali. The National Assembly provides a forum for peaceful, legitimate opposition, an important part of any stable society. MTI supported voter mobilization campaigns, dissemination of important information on voting procedures, and support to the Direction General des Elections (DGE), the Malian Government Elections Directorate. To facilitate voter access to voting booth locations and support a robust turnout during the first and second round of the legislative elections, MTI supported the Elections Directorate (Direction General des Elections or DGE) through a Direct Distribution of Goods and Services (DDGS) to deploy technicians to carry electronic scanners used to identify the correct voting locations for Malian voters by scanning NINA voting cards. MTI provided the technicians with stipends and transportation reimbursements to deploy to polling stations nationwide where voter turnout was low and where voters experienced difficulties in finding their polling stations. Many voters, displaced by fighting in the North, changed their polling stations to vote in the 2013 Presidential elections. Displaced persons that have subsequently returned to their homes or settled elsewhere were required to transfer their voter registration. MTI launched MTI047 on October 23, 2013, to send nationwide SMS blasts that informed Orange and Malitel mobile phone subscribers of the October 30, 2013, voter registration transfer deadline. On the October 28 ORTM evening news, mayors from all six communes in Bamako testified that citizens in these districts had started to either withdraw their voter cards (NINA) or to transfer their polling stations. Several activities supported civic education during the election through radio, television, and roving caravans. Under MTI046, Chamady Comedie produced and performed three short dramas. Under MTI048, SOS Democratie trained youth mobilizers to increase the youth vote and continued the operation of their very successful telephone hotline that allowed citizens to report incidents of electoral irregularities. The safe return of Malian refugees and displaced people is a priority of the newly elected government, and a key dimension of the reconciliation process and stabilization efforts – particularly in areas formerly occupied by armed insurgent groups. MTI chose Niafunke and Timbuktu as launching pads for work in the North because they were occupied during the conflict and are relatively accessible from Mopti. All are cercle capitals, each comprising several communes, while Timbuktu is also a regional capital. MTI uses this approach to test methodologies and approaches for replication elsewhere. MTI cleared grants valued at $653,531 from the Conflict and Crisis Fund (CCF), $450,364 from the Development Assistance (DA) fund, and $865,795 from the Transition Initiatives (TI) fund. The total grant amount cleared during the quarter was $1,969,690, with disbursements totaling $1,073,167.