| Territorial decentralization is an administrative organization technique that allows the central government to transfer through various modalities of powers, responsibilities and resources to its lower levels so that they manage their own affairs freely, within the limits of the national laws. In this respect, there is general agreement in recognizing that pre-colonial empires that succeeded on the current Malian territory (Ghana, Mali, Songhoi) generally had policies with fairly decentralized systems, we must however admit that the colonial powers had established, highly centralized administrative organizations, which also well accommodated different Malian plans until the advent of multiparty democracy in March 1991.Indeed, after independence, although the Constitution of September 22,1960 provided in Article 41 that the local authorities (regions, districts, counties, municipalities) are administered through elected councils, these provisions were not implemented. Law No.66-9/AN RM of 2 March 1966 on the Code of Municipalities certainly harmonized full-function joint status of 9 towns similar exercise inherited from the colonial administration, namely GAO, Kati, Koulikoro, Koutiala, Kita, Nioro San, Sikasso and Tombouctou. The other 4 which acquired this status since 1919 are Bamako and Kayes in 1953 then Mopti and Segou in 1954. But since then, until the advent of the 3rd Republic in 1992, the country has on record that the creation of 12 other cities. In this case the six municipalities in the district of Bamako in 1977, then in 1982 Bougouni and that of Banamba, Dioila Bandiangara, Niono and Djenne during the transition from 1991.In reality, the Malian decentralization is the culmination of a long quest for the democracy and well-being of the population, which saw the gradual emergence of alternative community-based organizations in order to compensate for the deficiencies of increasingly failing state structures.It is in this context which was created by the grassroots communities, with strong encouragement from donors, maternity and rural clinics, community health centers in urban areas and basic schools and community schools, which actually can be seen as precursors distant Decentralization?It was also at this time that there was the creation of several professional organizations of communities (village associations, cooperatives, village management committees natural resource management committees of the water) to support the organization of production, marketing, and environmental protection. At the end of section 1 of Act No.95-034/AN-RM of 12 April 1995 on the code of local government, we find that "the local governments of the Republic of Mali are:regions, the District of Bamako, circles, urban municipalities and rural communities. Decentralization is thus reflected in Mali by the existence of three levels of local government. There are 703 municipalities, of which a major part of rural communities (85%),49 districts, eight regions and one district, in this case the city of Bamako.Each of These three levels of collectivities has some Specific Competencies:Region:1)Secondary Education schools; 2) Specialized education; 3)Technical and professional education; 4)Regional Hospitals; 5)Road infrastructure and communications classified in the area of the region; 6)Environmental Protection; 7)Tourism; 8)Energy and Consistency programs.Circle:1) Second cycle of basic education; 2)health centers of the circle; 3)Rural Water; 4) Road infrastructure and communications classified in the area of the circleCommon or municipality:1)Preschool education; 2) Literacy; 3)First level of basic education; 4)Dispensary, maternity hospitals, public health and community health centers; 5) Road infrastructure and communication in the field of classified communal; 6) Rural and Urban Hydraulics; 7)Fairs and markets; 8)Sports, Arts and Culture.These three level s are some General Competencies:1)Budget accounts;2)Regional Planning;3)Development Programs; 4)land management;5) Creating and managing services and agencies of the territorial collectivities;6)Works contracts and supplies contracts;7) Leases and other conventions;8)Tax Institution and setting tax rates)Regarding goals of the decentralization policy there is widespread agreement to attribute to two key targets for the Malian decentralization:(1) the deepening of the democratic process and (2) the promotion of development, both closely linked to the context and challenges of decentralization. It's in light of these two objectives that we should therefore appreciate and evaluate the results of the decentralization policy. It's all about creating an appropriate framework to enable full responsibility for citizens who were for a longtime marginalized in governance so that they finally take control of their own affairs without any obstacle other than legal constraints dictated by the imperatives of citizen protection, security, cohesion, national solidarity, national unity, territorial integrity and national sovereignty without which there is no state. Decentralization aims for the implementation of a framework conducive to the release of energy and by local initiatives through concerns, local resources and expertise governance. This release of energy will boost localities in terms of large regional balances and comprehensive and balanced development of a vast country like Mali. It is these issues and objectives that should guide policy makers in the choices for our model of decentralization, particularly its organizational mode.We certainly are still far from having acquired a democratic tradition in Mali, if one judges by the questionable quality of the democratic process, in view of important derivatives (fraud, buying consciences, political nomadism, etc.). But the fact remains that since 1999, the local elections are held regularly and we are witnessing the emergence of a new type of stakeholders in the institutional landscape in the person of the elected local mayor it, President District council, or the President of the Regional Assembly. Today, the endeavor has indeed enriched the daily work of animating 10752 elected local authorities who have become important actors in the economic, social and cultural life. Their work resulted in a significant improvement in the provision of basic social services.It must be recognized that local authorities (703 communities,49 districts,8 regions and the District of Bamako) have contributed to a significant increase in services to the people through the provision of infrastructure in the social sectors (health, education, mainly water). Decentralization has resulted in a considerable increase in local community facilities (nearly 12,000 infrastructure between 2000-2010), in particular through the investment effort of National Investment Agency for Local Authorities (ANICT). In a way, we can say that these investments have brought public services to citizens.Today, we can say that overall, people no longer accept a return back. Despite its shortcomings and weaknesses, we must recognize that in terms of service delivery, and Administration-user relations, decentralized administrations outperform the State Administration. If we are to judge by the polls on the degree of user satisfaction vis-a-vis Administrations, in terms of services, particularly as regards the behavior of agents, hospitality, and speed in the delivery, decentralized administrations are rated higher than the services of the State administration. But these gains should not mask real problems encountered in the field.we must now to situate the reform with regard to the vigorous efforts of social movements that have animated the Malian political activity during the 1990s, we see that the re-emergence of the issue of decentralization is closely linked to the explosion of social demands in a context of economic crisis and challenge the power of the state, but also the aspirations of an emerging elite end of the "civil society" for a democracy at the local level by justifying a populist ideology.'In these endogenous factors multiple matter, we add some dimensions related to particular international context in which the reform was established, in particular with respect to the role played by international donors. We conclude this chapter by briefly outlining the decentralization reform undertaken by the government.Regarding the "problem of the North" and Agreements Tamanrasset, Since the French colonization, the people of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal have frequently shown hostility vis-a-vis the authorities of Bamako and the opposition between the North and South of the country remains a key paradigm of the Malian political situation (Maiga, 1997:207-230). As of June 1990, armed groups (mainly composed of young Tuaregs, Moors and Arabs) come again in conflict against the government. These movements denounce violence by the authorities, calling for more investment in the development and demand greater autonomy for their region (Boilley 1999,478-485; Demante, 2005,196-197; Marty,2007,292). Faced with the inability of the army to defeat the "rebels", the government signed agreements with the MPA Tamanrasset in January 1991. Moussa Traore gets peace against the promise to meet the demands of the armed groups by granting a "special status" for the North, devolution of powers to local authorities as part of a decentralization reform and the availability of new funds dedicated to development in the region (Diarrah,1996,44; Mback,2003 106-107).some clarifications impose as to the application of this concept in the analysis of decentralization reforms. Populism is a type of social relationship where intellectuals (researchers, developers, administrators, etc.) (About Participatory ideology.If it embodies some of the wishes of "good governance" expressed by the donors, we have seen that decentralization is especially the desire of the ruling regime to extend local democracy recently won nationwide:"The new social project is ideologically presented by the new political elite as a break with the old order and an attempt to overhaul the state on the basis of shared power. "(Kassibo,2006,68) Indeed, the government insists on the correlation between the advent of democracy in Mali and the need to delegate new powers to the citizen:" The decentralization appears as a "major project" for the country, driven by the Head of State who embodies the philosophy of the future About Community ideology.Aready demonstrated by Shaka Bagayogo (1987,1989,1992), conceptions of power and representation of the State in Mali are intertwined in a "community ideology" which exalts the authenticity of cultural values, glorify heroes the famous imperial and an idyllic representation of village life time.Now, the territorial administration has three administrative levels (703 communes,49 districts and 8 regions, plus the District of Bamako) who allocate powers transferred by the State according to the principles of subsidiarity and who does not have (in principle) no hierarchical relationship. |
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