RESTRICTEDWORLD  TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/TPR/S/43
2 October 1998
(98-3806)
Trade Policy Review Body
TRADE POLICY REVIEW
MALI
Report by the Secretariat
This report, prepared for the Trade Policy Review of Mali, has been drawn up by
the WTO Secretariat on its own responsibility.  The Secretariat has, as required
by the Agreement establishing the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of
the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization), sought
clarification from the Government of Mali on its trade policies and practices.
Document contains the policy statement submitted by the Government of Mali.
Note: This report is subject to restricted circulation and press embargo until the end of the meeting
of the Trade Policy Review Body on Mali.Mali WT/TPR/S/43
Page iii
CONTENTS
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS  ix
(1) Economic environment  ix
(2) institutional framework   x(3) trade policy features    xi
(4) trade policies and trading partners xiv
I. THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT   1
(1) MAJOR FEATURES OF THE ECONOMY   1
(2) Economic developments   2
(i) From independence to 1991   2
(ii) Post-1991 situation   3
(3) Trade performance   5
(i) Trade in goods   5
(ii) Trade in services   9
(4) Investments   9
(5) Outlook 10
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 14
(1) Institutional framework 14
(2) Formulation and implementation of policies 15
(3) Policy objectives 16
(4) Laws and regulations 16
(i) Trade legislation 17
(ii) Investment Code 17
(iii) Mining Code 18
(5) Trade and investment agreements and arrangements 19
(i) Multilateral agreements 19
(ii) Regional agreements 20
(iii) Other trade agreements or arrangements 22
(iv) Trade disputes and consultations 23
(v) Investment agreements or arrangements 24WT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
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III. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICY INSTRUMENTS 25
(1) Introduction 25
(2) Measures directly affecting imports 26
(i) Registration and documents 26
(ii) Inspection, customs valuation and customs clearance 26
(iii) Import duties 28
(iv) Rules of origin 33
(v) Anti-dumping, countervailing and safeguard measures 33(vi) Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing 33
(vii) Standards and ecological and other technical requirements 34
(viii) Government procurement 36
(ix) Local content requirements 37
(x) Other measures 37
(3) Measures directly affecting exports 38
(i) Regulations 38
(ii) Export duties and taxes 38
(iii) Export licensing, prohibitions and other measures restricting exports 38
(iv) Export subsidies 39(v) Duty and tax concessions, and free zones. 39
(vi) Export promotion, financing and assistance 39
(vii) Other measures 40
(4) Other measures affecting production and trade 40
(i) State trading, State enterprises and privatization 40
(ii) Subsidies and other forms of production assistance 42
(iii) Price regulation and competition policy 42
(iv) Measures for the protection of intellectual property rights 43
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 45
(1) Introduction 45
(2) Agriculture and related activities 46
(i) General remarks 46
(ii) Policy by product category 48
(3) Mining and energy sectors 54
(i) Mines 54
(ii) Energy 55
(4) Manufacturing sector 59
(i) Textiles 60
(ii) Other products 60Mali WT/TPR/S/43
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(5) Services 61
(i) Transport services 61
(ii) Financial services 64
(iii) Tourism, hotel and restaurant services 65(iv) Telecommunications 66
REFERENCES 68WT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
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CHARTS
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
I.1 Exports and imports by major product groups, 1993 and 1996  6
I.2 Exports and imports by partner, 1993 and 1996  8III. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICY INSTRUMENTSIII.1 Average import duties (excluding community levy) by type of product, 1997 29III.2 Average import duties by degree, CITI Revision 2, 1997 30
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR
IV.1 Trend of sugar production, 1985-97 51Mali WT/TPR/S/43
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TABLES
I. THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
I.1 Basic social data, 1970-95  1
I.2 Basic economic indicators, 1990-97  4
I.3 Balance-of-payments developments, 1993-96  5
I.4 Gross fixed-capital formation, 1985 and 1990-97  9
I.5 Foreign direct investment:  projects approved under the
Investment Code, 1994-97 10
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMESII.1 Notifications by Mali within the framework of implementation of the
WTO Agreements, October 1997 19
II.2 Introduction of the WAEMU common external tariff 22III. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICY INSTRUMENTSIII.1 Import duties according to degree of finishing, 1997 25
III.2 Special tax on certain products (ISCP), 1998 31III.3 Exemptions by major categories, 1996 33
III.4 Amounts and methods of concluding government procurement
contracts, 1994-96 37
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTORIV.1 Cost of energy, water, telecommunications and transport:
comparison with other WAEMU countries 46
IV.2 Principal plant and animal products, 1990-98 48
IV.3 Statistics on electrical energy 57IV.4 National electricity charges in force since 1 April 1998 58
IV.5 Production costs and competitiveness aspects 59
IV.6 Goods transported (all means of transport), 1993-97 62
IV.7 Tourist arrivals in hotels and assimilated establishments, 1993-97 66
IV.8 Indicators of telecommunications services 66IV.9 Telephone charges in Mali and the WAEMU countries 67WT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
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APPENDIX TABLES
III. ANALYSIS OF TRADE POLICY INSTRUMENTS
AIII.1 Tariff accordin g to degree of processing, 1997 71
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTORAIV.1 Import duties by chapter of the HS, 1997 74Mali WT/TPR/S/43
Page ix
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS
(1) ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
1. Mali is a West African least-developed
country (LDC) which became independent on
22 September 1960.  Upon independence, Maliopted for a planned economy on the basis of
five-year programmes drawn up by the State.
In order to underpin this option, State
enterprises were set up in all sectors.  Mali left
the franc zone and created the Malian franc in1962.
2. The inherent limits of this development
strategy (in particular poor management of
bloated, State-subsidized governmententerprises), compounded by Mali's "natural"
economic difficulties as a land-locked LDC,
prompted a first set of reforms in 1982, at a
time when the country was accumulating
internal and external payment arrears.  Mali
rejoined the West African Monetary Union
and hence the franc zone in 1984.Notwithstanding a significant financial
improvement the adjustment effort was
interrupted in 1987.
3. The first structural adjustment
programmes supported by the International
Monetary Fund and World Bank were
established in 1988.  These programmes,
aimed at opening up the economy and
strengthening the role of the private sector,included a sectoral adjustment programme for
State-owned enterprises (PASEP) and an
agricultural sector adjustment programme
(PASA).  Two enhanced structural adjustment
facilities were arranged, the first for1992-1996 and the second for 1996-99.
Implementation of these programmes was
interrupted in January 1991 owing to socio-
political disturbances which led to the
establishment of a democratic regime in Mali,
and between August 1993 and April 1994
owing to renewed socio-political tension.
4. These various reforms led to a break
with the policy of State-planning of the
economy.  Public enterprises were wound up,
reorganized and/or privatized, the tax burdenlightened, and the tax and customs services
reorganized.  The reforms also brought about
the dismantling of non-tariff barriers to trade
on most products, the elimination of export
duties and taxes on many products, and a
significant simplification of the structure ofimport duties and taxes.  The devaluation in
1994 of the African financial community franc
(CFA franc), as a result of which the parity
moved from CFAF 50 to 100 for one French
franc, boosted domestic production of cotton(exports of which increased sharply), cereals,
and fruit and vegetables.  The real GDP
growth rate (rising steadily since 1994), has
generally been higher than that of population
growth, which is about 2 per cent.  Afterpeaking at 23.2 per cent in 1994 (due to the
devaluation), inflation has been brought down
to 7 per cent.  Nevertheless, the reforms have
had generally little effect on the Government
deficit (except in 1996-97) and balance of
payments (except in 1997).
5. Agriculture accounts for about 48 per
cent of Mali's real GDP and 80 per cent of
employment of the active population.  Mali
obtains about 50 per cent of its merchandise
export earnings from cotton, of which it is thebiggest producer in sub-Saharan Africa.  Gold
mining was responsible for the revival of
mining activity:  gold accounted for
17 per cent of merchandise export earnings in
1996.  The industrial manufacturing sectorremains undeveloped and contributes only
some 13 per cent of GDP.  It is largely
directed towards the domestic market and
produces essentially textile and food products.
The services sector accounts for about40 per cent of real GDP, predominantly
accounted for by commercial services:  these
attract the bulk of informal activities,  which
represented about 29 per cent of Malian GDP
in 1994.
6. Malian exports, consisting primarily
of cotton, livestock products and gold, are
vulnerable to world price fluctuations and
climatic factors.  Exports cover only about
half of imports, leading to a chronic trade
deficit.  With a chronic deficit in services tradeowing to large payments on account of freightWT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
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and insurance services and debt servicing,
compounded by the devaluation of the CFA
franc, the current account also has a
structural deficit.
7. Mali's main trading partners are Côte
d'Ivoire, the European Union and Senegal.
Mali derives more than half of its export
earnings from developing countries, in
particular those of the West African sub-
region.  The action taken to create a customsunion among West African countries which
use the CFA franc (the countries of the West
African Economic and Monetary Union -
WAEMU) and the substitution effect on non-
WAEMU imports induced by the devaluationof the CFA franc have boosted trade with
other countries of the Union, especially Côte
d'Ivoire and Senegal.  Switzerland is also a
major outlet for Malian products, especially
cotton.  From the European Union, Mali
imports capital goods, building materials and
chemicals and pharmaceuticals.  Rice isimported from Asian countries and other food
products from the other countries of the West
African sub-region, which in turn import live
animals and fish from Mali.
(2)
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
8. Under its 1992 Constitution, Mali is a
pluralist democracy.  The President of the
Republic (Head of State) is elected by
universal suffrage for a term of five years,renewable once only.  The President appoints
the Prime Minister (Head of Government) and
the other members of the Government on the
proposal of the Prime Minister.  The
single-chamber parliament (NationalAssembly) votes the laws.  The High Council
of the Communities is responsible for studying
and issuing a reasoned opinion concerning all
local and regional development policies.  The
Economic, Social and Cultural Council makes
proposals for reforms and must be consulted
on all bills or provisions.
9. Since 1988, Mali has carried out a
sweeping revision of its laws and regulations
in order to back up the liberalization of its
economy.  The Investment Code which cameinto force in March 1991 grants investors
many tax and customs advantages and
guarantees commercial freedom and freedom
to repatriate capital for foreign investors.
Nevertheless, for reasons of public utility, the
State reserves the right to limit foreigninvestment in certain sectors (defence and
security).  Mali's mining legislation offers
administrative, mining and real-estate
guarantees, as well as guarantees of non-
expropriation and of transfer of mining-linkedfunds, including transfers of staff savings, in
addition to the tax and customs benefits.
Within WAEMU, a community investment code
is planned for 1998.  This would in principle
lead to the elimination of duty and taxexemptions on imports of capital goods, which
are subject to low rates under the WAEMU
Common External Tariff (TEC).
10. Mali became a WTO Member on
31 May 1995, after having applied the GATT
since 1967.  Mali grants most-favoured-nation(MFN) treatment to all countries except Israel.
Like other WTO Members, Mali adopted the
whole of the results of the Uruguay Round.  It
benefited, among other things, from the
preferential and differential treatment grantedto LDCs, in particular in the form of waivers
or delayed application of certain provisions,
and it should profit above all from the
strengthening of rules and disciplines in the
multilateral trading system and particularlyand in the sectors of importance to it, such as
agriculture, including livestock farming.
Mali's main concern is to increase and
diversify production so as to take fuller
advantage not only of existing opportunitiesbut also of those that should result from
further multilateral liberalization.  While
recognizing the need to continue to improve
the quality of its products, Mali highlights
technical barriers to trade as one of the areas
calling for special surveillance in the
multilateral trading system.
11. Mali is a founder member of the
West African Economic and Monetary Union
(WAEMU).  The aim of this Organization is to
create an economic union by bringing aboutthe convergence of macroeconomic andMali WT/TPR/S/43
Page xi
sectoral policies and the harmonization of
fiscal legislation of member countries;
monetary integration, with a central bank (the
Central Bank of West African States) and a
common currency (the African Financial
Community Franc – CFAF), has already beenachieved.  The structure of the Common
External Tariff (TEC) with four rates (1 per
cent, 6 per cent, 11 per cent and 31 per cent,
plus the Community levies totalling 1 per cent)
has been drawn up, and implementation wasdue to begin in July 1998 and end in
January 2000, by which date the customs
union should have been completed.  Mali is
also a member of the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS), whose Treatyalso provides for the creation of a customs
union;  the timetable for establishing this
union has not been respected.
12. As a signatory to the Fourth Lomé
Convention, Mali receives aid from the
European Union and benefits from the systemfor stabilizing export earnings (STABEX).
However, Mali has received no compensation
under STABEX since 1992 as it has not
suffered from lost export earnings (more
specifically of cotton exports).  In addition,under the Convention, many Malian exports to
the EU enjoy non-reciprocal preferential
treatment in the form of exemption from
import duties.  Likewise, Malian goods enjoy
non-reciprocal preferential access to themarkets of developed countries other than the
European Union member States under the
generalized system of preferences.  The scope
of this non-reciprocal preferential treatment is
limited, especially owi ng to the small number
of products exported by Mali, namely raw
materials that generally are subject to zero or
very low MFN import duties in the importing
countries.
13. Mali has also signed several bilateral
Agreements in the field of international trade.The agreement signed with Algeria in
July 1996 provides for payment and credit
facilities, and contains provisions relating to
the organization of or participation in trade
fairs or exhibitions, as well as to intellectualproperty rights. As at July 1998, Mali had notbeen involved in any dispute-settlement
proceedings in GATT, the WTO or under any
other trade agreement to which it is a party.
(3) 
TRADE POLICY FEATURES
(i) Trade policy instruments and their
effects
14. Today, Mali's trade policy is
essentially based on duties and taxes.  On the
export side, the only levies in force are theservice provision contribution (CPS) of 3 per
cent on the f.o.b. value of gold and the tax of
CFAF 7.5 per kg. of fish, which are also levied
on domestic sales.  Mali adopted the
Harmonized System Nomenclature in 1994.Several duties and taxes (entry duties) are
levied on imports.  These import duties, the
number of which will be reduced with the
introduction of the TEC, consist of:  a customs
duty (DD) of zero or 5 per cent;  a fiscal
import duty (DFI) of zero, 10 or 25 per cent;
a service provision contribution (CPS) of 3 percent on petroleum products and 5 per cent on
other products;  a community solidarity levy
(PCS) and a community levy (PC) of 0.5 per
cent each, levied on non-WAEMU and non-
ECOWAS imports respectively;  and a short-term import tax (TCI) levied on sugar at a rate
of 55 per cent (which is reduced during the
month of Lent and restored to the previous
level following this "sensitive" period).  The
simple arithmetic average of these duties(excluding the PCS and the PC) is 22.1 per
cent, with a minimum of 3 per cent and a
35 per cent maximum.  This maximum rises
exceptionally to 75 per cent on sugar as a
result of the TCI.  Import duty rates are nothighly dispersed and show a generally
negative escalation from unprocessed
products to semi-finished goods.  The
least-taxed goods are those of the chemical
and pharmaceutical industries, non-electrical
machinery and petroleum.  The most heavily
taxed are fishery products, tobacco, clothing,leather products, footwear, furniture (other
than metal furniture), pottery and china.
15. In addition to import duties and taxes,
value-added tax at two rates (10 per cent andWT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
Page xii
15 per cent) has been in force since 1991.
Exports are zero-rated for the purposes of
reimbursement of the VAT levied on the inputs
and factors of production used in their
manufacture.  A service provision tax (TPS) is
also payable by all persons who provideservices and have an annual turnover of more
than CFAF 1 million.  The TPS also has a
reduced rate of 7 per cent which is applied to
transport, entertainment and water supply and
evacuation activities, and telephony.  Otherservices are subject to the normal 15 per cent
rate.  A special tax on certain products (ISCP)
is also levied on a number of goods.  Import
duties and taxes are charged on the c.i.f.
value, and excise duties on the c.i.f. value pluscustoms duties.  However, the amount of the
ISCP is included in the VAT assessment basis.
16. Under the Uruguay Round, Mali
bound the customs duty rates applicable to
agricultural products (like other WTO
Member countries) and those applicable toproducts coming under Chapters 44 (wood
and wood products), 81 (other base metals)
and 92 (musical instruments) of the
Harmonized System.  A 60-per cent ceiling
rate was granted for this purpose by Mali forall these products.  The other duties and
charges on imports of these products were
bound at 50 per cent.  Thus the bindings cover
a relatively small number of products, and
leave Mali a great deal of room for manoeuvrein view of the large gap between the bound
rates and rates actually applied.  In addition,
the CPS is currently applied although it does
not appear in the list of other duties and
charges bound by Mali.  With the introductionof the TEC, the WAEMU Commission intends
to renegotiate the tariff concessions of all
member countries, including those on the old
lists for which bindings were made at a time
when the countries were colonies.
17. The only prohibitions still in force in
Mali exist for reasons of security or health, orpursuant to international conventions to which
the country is a party.  However, trade with
Israel is banned.  Imports of a c.i.f. value
exceeding CFAF 250,000 are subject to the
certificate of intention to import issued by theNational Directorate of Economic Affairs(Ministry responsible for trade), under the
import verification programme set in place in
1989.  In this connection the National Tax
Directorate levies stamp duties and
registration fees amounting to CFAF 3,000
per tranche of CFAF 500,000 in c.i.f. value ofimports;  for the first tranche, these duties are
set at CFAF 6,000, i.e. CFAF 600 per sub-
tranche of CFAF 50,000 of imports.  In
addition, imports of an f.o.b. value exceeding
CFAF 3 million are subject to compulsorypreshipment inspection by the General
Inspection Company (SGS);  the values
certified by the SGS are not binding on the
customs administration, although it appears to
have used them in most cases.  With theexception of provisions in trade agreements
which it has signed, Mali does not have laws
on rules of origin, nor does it have domestic
legislation on anti-dumping, countervailing or
safeguard measures.
18. The measures taken by Mali to boost
exports include the introduction of VAT, the
elimination of duties and taxes on most exports
and the creation of free zones.  Under the
1991 Investment Code, free enterprises (which
must export at least 80 per cent of theiroutput) enjoy exemption from all fiscal,
parafiscal and customs duties and taxes.  The
Mali Mining Code also provides for exemption
from duties, charges and taxes on exports of
mining products as well as on the relatedturnover and proceeds of sales.  However,
exports of young male bovine animals, aged
five years or less and non-sterile breeding
female bovine animals are prohibited, except
where specifically provided for under specialagreements between Mali and other countries
wishing to constitute stock-raising centres.
There is also an export prohibition on
precious substances (e.g. gold and diamonds)
in the unprocessed state.  Exports of hides and
skins are subject to special authorization.  All
other products are subject to the certificate ofintention to export (IE).  Stamp duties are
levied on the IE for gold and cotton in
accordance with the scale of charges applied
to certificates of intention to import.Mali WT/TPR/S/43
Page xiii
19. Price freedom and freedom of
competition have existed in Mali since 1992.
In special situations, however, such as times of
crisis, the Council of Ministers may regulate
prices by decree.  On the other hand,
implementation of the State enterpriseadjustment programme (PASEP) launched in
1988 has proved rather slow.  At the end of
1997, a total of 20 State enterprises had been
dissolved or wound up, and 40 wholly or
partially privatized.  Other enterprises hadmerely been reorganized.
20. Intellectual property rights are
protected in Mali by the Bangui Industrial
Property Agreement signed by some15 African countries, under which the African
Intellectual Property Organization (AIPO)
was set up, as well as by a 1984 Copyright
Law.  Work is in hand at AIPO to bring the
provisions of the Bangui Agreement into
conformity with the obligations of WTO
Members under the Agreement onTrade-Related Intellectual Property Rights.
Counterfeiting in Mali primarily concerns
medicinal products, audio cassettes, sporting
goods and leading brands.  Pirating and
counterfeiting give rise to infrequentconvictions, which are only of a token nature.
Aware of the increase in consumption of
counterfeit medicines, owing to the higher cost
of imports following the devaluation of the
CFA franc, the Malian authorities havedecided not to levy import duties and taxes on
essential medicines.
(ii) Policies by sector
21. Through the reforms undertaken since
1988, Mali has substantially liberalized its
economy and reduced State participation in
production activities.  In the agricultural
sector, most activities, including production
and marketing, have been liberalized for all
products with the exception of cotton andtobacco.  Nevertheless, aside from these two
subsectors, State enterprises are directly
involved in the production and/or marketing of
livestock products and rice.  The agricultural
sector has the highest tariff protection,followed by mining and quarrying, and thenmanufacturing.  The 55 per cent TCI makes
sugar the most heavily protected product in
terms of import duties (75 per cent).
22. The various advantages, including tax
and customs advantages, offered by the 1991Mining Code have helped to revive mining in
Mali, which is carried out both industrially
and non-industrially;  only gold, phosphates
and some building materials are exploited
primarily on an industrial basis.  Undercertain provisions of the Code, the State
reserves the right to hold up to 20 per cent
(including a free holding of at least 10 per
cent) in the capital of mining enterprises.
Mining resources are subject to an ad valoremtax of 3 per cent on pit-head value.  Exports of
precious substances (e.g. gold) in the
unprocessed state are prohibited;  sales of
these substances (in the processed state) are
subject to the 3 per cent CPS.  These
measures, especially prohibition, have
encouraged the proliferation of informalactivities, including non-industrial processing
and sales of gold and gold products.  The
multiplicity of categories of rights (currently
seven), all accompanied by establishment
agreements, are among the most restrictiveprovisions of the Malian Mining Code,
narrowing the range of activities to which
each category of right gives access, and
increasing costs, beginning with those of
administrative procedures.  A review of theMining Code is planned so as to make the
sector more attractive to investors and
promote exports of processed products.
23. Mali has substantial potential in the
textile and agri-food industries, which have
contributed to the signs of revival of the
manufacturing sector following the
devaluation of the CFA franc.  However,
excluding exemptions, the negative escalation
of import duties does not favour the
development of the manufacturing sector;  theintroduction of the TEC should reduce import
duties on raw materials.  Furthermore, the
high cost of energy, transport and
telecommunications, climatic difficulties
jeopardizing regular supplies of agriculturalinputs, the higher cost of inputs (largelyWT/TPR/S/43 Trade Policies Review
Page xiv
imported) following devaluation, problems of
access to financing and of obtaining land for
industrial sites, and low purchasing power are
among the factors hindering the development
of Mali's industrial sector.
24. Dominated by informal trading, the
services sector has been substantially
liberalized.  In branches such as tourism,
buyers have yet to be found for enterprises
(including hotels).  Telecommunicationsservices remain the main service activity in
which the State is still heavily involved,
through a public enterprise, the Mali
Telecommunication Company (SOTELMA):
this explains the high cost of these services inMali (among the highest in the sub-region).
Owing to the low level of its commitments at
the multilateral level, Mali is not fully
benefiting from the liberalization efforts it has
already made unilaterally.  Mali's bindings
remain limited to modes of supply of adult
education services in the handicraft sector,and hotel and catering services, which does
not guarantee investors, and in particular
foreign investors, that the existing situation
will be irreversible.
(4) 
TRADE POLICIES AND TRADING
PARTNERS
25. Mali has unilaterally carried out
major liberalization efforts under thestructural adjustment programmes being
implemented since 1988.  The effects of these
reforms are appreciable on the agricultural
and mining sectors but remain limited.  In the
mining sector, apart from the multiplicity ofcategories of rights, it is primarily the
provision relating to State participation in the
capital of companies which is worth reviewing
as it can hardly promote investment.  The
introduction of measures to promote exports of
processed mining products (one of the current
objectives of trade policy) should be a clearfeature of the code being drawn up, as the
present prohibition on unprocessed precious
substances could foster smuggling unless a
suitable environment is created to encourage
local processing.  Again, the charges levieddirectly or indirectly on exports of the main
products and the special authorization to
which exports of hides and skins are subject
are unlikely to encourage exports.
26. The introduction of the TEC could
increase nominal tariff protection and effective
rates of protection by increasing the (positive)
escalation of import duties.  As fiscal concerns
generally outweigh the protectionist intent in
Malian import duties, the complete eliminationof export levies could be expected if the TEC
brings in more substantial government
revenues.  Apart from fiscal concerns, it is the
lack of information on the range and scope of
the WTO Agreements, and on the contours ofMembers' obligations, that explains the
introduction of measures such as the CPS,
which is not included in the list of other duties
and charges bound by Mali.  Accordingly,
assistance aimed at enhancing awareness of
the contents of the WTO Agreements could
help to ensure Malian compliance.  Thisassistance, which would also cover the
provisions of the General Agreement on Trade
in Services, could help to increase Mali's
participation in the world trading system and
encourage the binding of certain modes ofsupply of services it has already unilaterally
liberalized.  Commitments of this kind will
make the reforms more credible and
encourage the flows of investment,
particularly foreign investment, which thecountry badly needs at present.
27. Under the integrated programme of
technical assistance for LDCs set in place by
WTO and other organizations, Mali has alsorequested assistance in various fields.  These
include the introduction of trade finance and
export promotion structures, the search for
foreign trade and investment partners, quality
control, trade information collection and
management, and rationalization of customs
procedures.  Assistance in these fields willhelp to step up Mali's participation in
international trade and raise the standard of
living of its people, and to dispel the fears of
marginalization currently being voiced in
Mali.