In a country focus report, EASO aims to provide information focusing on selected topics of particular relevance for international protection status determination (refugee status and subsidiary protection), in this case for Malian applicants. It is not meant to be a general description of the human rights situation in the country, nor a comprehensive overview of all topics at stake in international protection status determination.
This report is divided into three main chapters: the first provides general background information on topics like geography, population, religion or political history, and includes an overview of the main actors in the crisis in northern Mali, as well as an overview of the current political situation in the country. The second chapter describes Mali’s state structure, including its administration, judiciary, and security forces. The last chapter is dedicated to the country’s security situation in the southern regions, namely Kayes, Koulikoro, Ségou and Sikasso.
This report was co-drafted by the following national asylum and migration departments:
France, Office Français de Protection des Réfugiés et Apatrides (OFPRA), Division de l'Information, de la Documentation et des Recherches (DIDR)
Italy, Ministry of the Interior, National Commission for the Right of Asylum, International and EU Affairs, COI unit
The following departments reviewed this report, together with EASO:
Denmark, Danish Immigration Service, Section Country of Origin Information
Luxembourg, Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes, Direction de l’Immigration, Service Réfugiés
Norway, Landinfo
The Netherlands, Immigration and Naturalisation Service, Office for Country of Origin Information and Language Analysis (OCILA)
Dr Bruce Whitehouse, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Global Studies Program in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Lehigh University, PA, researcher, and author of numerous publications on the country and the region -, reviewed this report.
The drafting of this report (including reviewing) was finalised on 19 September 2018. Any event taking place after this date is not included in this report.
This report was written according to the EASO COI Report Methodology.
Policy
The policy implemented by the Commissioner General is based on a thorough analysis of accurate and up-to-date information on the general situation in the country of origin. This information is collated in a professional manner from various, objective sources, including the EASO, the UNHCR, relevant international human rights organisations, non-governmental organisations, professional literature and coverage in the media. When determining policy, the Commissioner General does not only examine the COI Focuses written by Cedoca and published on this website, as these deal with just one aspect of the general situation in the country of origin. The fact that a COI Focus could be out-of-date does not mean that the policy that is being implemented by the Commissioner General is no longer up-to-date.
When assessing an application for asylum, the Commissioner General not only considers the actual situation in the country of origin at the moment of decision-making, he also takes into account the individual situation and personal circumstances of the applicant for international protection. Every asylum application is examined individually. An applicant must comprehensively demonstrate that he has a well-founded fear of persecution or that there is a clear personal risk of serious harm. He cannot, therefore, simply refer back to the general conditions in his country, but must also present concrete, credible and personal facts.
There is no policy paper for this country available on the website.