Agency Details
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Bolloré Africa Logistics
Rue Baba Diarra,
P.O. Box 2454
Bamako
Mali
Tel: (+223) 20230013
Fax: (+223) 20235480
E-Mail: souleymane.diarra@bollore.com

Click here for a list of all OTAL agency offices

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OT Africa Line Service Brochure
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For comprehensive details highlighting our service from Mali please see our latest service brochure.

Transport News
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Mali Documentation: NIF Now Required - 10/03/10
Please note as from 01/03/10 the Importers Fiscal Identity Number / Numero d'Identification Fiscale [NIF] of each importer is compulsary for all shipments to Mali. This number is the identification number of the Importer/Consignee at the Malian Tax Ministry. We would request that the number is indicated on the Bill of Lading [B/L].

CTBL Mali - New Customs Regulations - 16/09/09
Please click here for new regulations requested by the Malian Customs office [French only]. Effective immediately please ensure that the following details are declared for all CTBL transit cargo from Dakar to Mali:

Customs code [Cargo]
Customs value
NIF Number- Fiscal indentity number of receiver in Mali.

CTBL: Dakar-Bamako Corridor - Kayes Bridge OPENED! - 07/09/09
We are pleased to announce that the Kayes bridge has finally re-opened for CTBL traffic.

Mali Seeks Assistance From UNCTAD To Formulate National Trade Policy - 11/08/09
Badly hit by the economic crisis and the appreciation of the Euro, and therefore of the franc CFA that is directly linked to it, Malian exports have recently become less competitive. To curb this trend the Malian government has asked the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development [UNCTAD] to help it formulate a national trade policy that seeks to connect trade liberalisation with developmental goals. A workshop was held in Bamako to discuss a study prepared by UNCTAD. One of its main suggestions is to develop the agricultural sector to transform primary goods into products with a higher value added, typical examples being gold and cotton.

The development impact of cotton could be significant and Mali could not do without it, despite declining prices on the international market. The sector must therefore be further developed in an innovative way, for example by introducing organic cotton. The study suggests continuing the privatisation of the Compagnie Malienne pour le Développement des Textiles [CMDT], the national cotton company. The government also foresees reforming the rice sector to "recapture" the national market and even export rice to the region as well as the potential for growth is beef, but this requires the establishment of a credible "cold chain", the enhancement of transport conditions and supporting the federation of manufacturers of leathers goods.

Basic infrastructure must also be developed with the study acknowledging that this remains one of the major constraints to economic integration. Access corridors to the sea are limited, the transport sector is inefficient and dominated by cartels, the road network is poor, and there is no "cold chain" for transporting goods that have to be refrigerated. Eliminating transport bottlenecks is a major challenge and it requires cooperation with neighbouring transit countries, among other measures. As a result, there is an urgent need to continue the reconstruction work on the Bamako – Dakar railway line and to eliminate unofficial payments on the roads.
Despite recent progress, telecommunications and energy also remain too costly and the developments of information and communication technologies need to become a priority. The results of the workshop are to be translated into a national policy that will help concrete these objectives. [IPS 11/08/09]

Dakar-Bamako - Kayes Bridge Still Closed - July 2009
Although the Kayes bridge was planned to re-open this month work has been delayed. Re-opening is now scheduled for September.

Mali Records 5.2% Growth In 2008 - 16/07/09
Mali recorded a 5.2% economic growth in 2008, against 4.3% the previous year, in spite of the international financial crisis. The increase in GDP is mainly due to the national rice initiative project and the increase in cereal production, which reached over 4.8 million tons in 2008, against 3.8 million in 2007. However, the Malian government lamented that cotton and gold production fell in 2008. According to government statistics, the quantity of gold production dropped from 56.8 tons in 2007 to 52.8 in 2008. Cotton and gold are the key foreign exchange earners for the country. Meanwhile, the service sector [transportation, telecommunications, banking] recorded a 4.9% growth in 2008, compared with 10.4 in 2007. In view of the global economic outlook, the Malian government is expecting a modest 4.8% growth for 2009. [PANA 16/07/09]

CTBL: Dakar-Bamako Corridor - 27/02/09
Please note that as of 01/05/09 to 30/06/09 the Kayes bridge on the border between Senegal and Mali will be closed to traffic. We will not be able to offer a road option between Dakar and Bamako during this period. A rail option from Dakar is still available however we anticipate heavy congestion. We would suggest you therfore offer other available routes to Bamako:

Via Abidjan
Mali: OT Africa Line offers an inland service to Bamako via Abidjan by road as an alternative to our existing service via Dakar. 
Via Conakry
Mali: OT Africa Line can offer a quick service to Bamako via Conakry as an alternative to Dakar. Tariffs for this service are competitive.
Via Lomé
Mali: OT Africa Line can offer an inland service from Lome to Bamako.
Via Tema
Mali: Our CTBL road service remains competitive and is running efficiently to Bamako.

We remind you that it is compulsory to provide copies of invoices in English, to ensure better transit of cargoes. We do not accept vehicles.

Please note that Dakar - Kayes remains available by road during the closure of the bridge.

Please click here for the official notice.

Malian Transport Operators Boycott Dakar & Nouakchott Ports - 09/01/09
Since Monday 05/01/09 the Conseil Malien des Chargeurs [CMC] have launched a 72 hours boycott of both Dakar and Nouakchott port over rising costs and inefficiencies. An official announcement by CMC and the Conseil Malien des Transporteurs Routiers / Mali Council of Road Carriers (CMTR) noted that during this period all professional bodies and trade unions should halt transport along the Dakar-Bamako and Nouakchott-Bamako corridors deviating their cargoes along other routes.

For two months the situation has been critical along these two corridors. Reviewing Senegal, grievances mainly concern the rise in customs clearance charges and harbour taxes. The Dakar port authorities have decided to tax 500 Fcfa per ton for all transit cargo via Dakar resulting in zero profitability for many transit companies.

The boycott hopes to initiate government action in Senegal and Mauritania and to review the current situation, particularly as Abidjan, Conakry, Accra and Lomé offer similar trading environments and facilities which can maintain consumer prices and supply of goods to Mali.

After the 72 hours a truce will be observed during the remainder of January, yet if no agreeable solution is found the CMC will have no choice but to cease transport activities via Senegal & Mauritania in the future. [CRIDEM 09/01/09]

Malian Warehouse in the Port of Abidjan - 16/07/08
The Malian government has launched the construction of a warehouse in the Port of Abidjan [PAA – Port Autonome d’Abidjan] where goods from/to Mali are forwarded, in order to increase traffic with Cote d’Ivoire, its “historical” partner. This warehouse of 11,000m² is intended to respond to the “expectation of large flows of goods from and towards Mali”, said Marcel Gossio, director of the PAA, during the launch ceremony. The Malian Minister of Equipment and Transport Hamed Diané Semega has noted that access to the port of Abidjan is of such importance for Mali that all will be made to maintain the Abidjan-Bamako axis in the best possible conditions.

Following the political and military crisis of September 2002, Malian businessmen shied away from Abidjan and looked towards other ports in Senegal, Mauritania and Togo. The traffic of goods towards Mali from Abidjan collapsed in 2003 at 176,629 tonnes against 637,646 tonnes in 2002. It then rose slightly from 2004 [251,958 tonnes] and reached 374,256 tonnes in 2007. Mali imports rice, fertilizers, chemical products, concrete iron and exports shea butter and fibre cotton, of which the country is a major exporter.

OTAL Trade Notice: Mali/Senegal Customs - 07/07/08
The Malian customs authority in Dakar have issued a reminder concerning documentation procedures for all goods to Mali. All goods must be declared with the correct cargo type. A description as 'miscellaneous cargo' is NOT acceptable. All cargo descriptions on Bills of Lading, Rail Declaration [TIF] and any other documentaion must be specific. Click here for the official notice. [Issued 24/06/08]

Ministry Of Transport Circular: Malian Transit Cargo To/From Senegalese Ports - 31/10/07
Please note that within the framework of Ministerial Notice No07-2240/MET-MEF-MIC-SG issued 27/08/07 [a modification of Ministerial Notice No06-2882/MET-MEF-MIC-SG issued 27/11/06] all cargo in transit through a Senegalese port to or from Mali will be liable for the following port surcharge 'Redevance Maritime':

• 500 FCFA per freight ton of conventional imports
• 10,000 FCFA per vehicle [tourist /utility] and heavy machines
• 10,000 FCFA per 20TEU
• 20,000 FCFA per 40TEU

The above taxes are effective from 1st November 2007. For the official Ministerial notification please view OTAL’s website here [3 pages].

IMF Approves US$2.1 Million Disbursement - 31/10/07
The IMF has completed the sixth and final review of Mali's economic performance under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement allowing the release of US$2.1 million to Mal. This will bring the total amount drawn under the arrangement to US$14.6 million. [IMF 31/10/7]

Malian Transit Cargo To/From Senegalese Ports - 01/11/07
Please note that within the framework of Ministerial Notice No07-2240/MET-MEF-MIC-SG issued 27/08/07 all cargo in transit through a Senegalese port to or from Mali will be liable for the following port surcharge 'Redevance Maritime'. These taxes are effective from 1st November 2007.

• 500 FCFA per freight ton of conventional imports
• 10,000 FCFA per vehicle [tourist /utility] and heavy machines
• 10,000 FCFA per 20TEU
• 20,000 FCFA per 40TEU

For the official Ministerial notification please click here.

President Amadou Toumani Touré Wins Second Term - 04/05/07
Official results in Mali's presidential election on 29/04/07 gave victory to the incumbent, Amadou Toumani Touré who has been elected to a second term with nearly 70% of the votes.
Eight candidates vied for the position as voter turnout for the poll reached only 36%. Key opposition figure was Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a former prime minister and head of the national assembly.

Mali's opposition say the poll was marred by fraud and members of the military were ordered to vote for incumbent President Toure. They have formally asked the Constitutional Court to annul the election. However annulment is relatively unlikely, as foreign observers declared the poll mostly fair.

Touré led a coup in 1991 to overthrow a military dictatorship. He handed power to the democratically elected president the following year, and only returned to power after being elected in 2002. [BBC 04/05/07]

World Bank Support For Mali's Poverty Reduction Strategy - 06/03/07
The World Bank's Executive Board has approved an International Development Association [IDA] credit in the amount of US$45 million to help the Government of Mali achieve the goals set forth in its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Framework [GPRSF].

This comprises programs grouped into three main areas: [i] infrastructure development and strengthening of the productive sectors, including food security, rural development, development of small/medium-sized enterprises [SMEs], and sustainable natural resource management; [ii] bolstering the structural reform program [composed of public sector reforms, the investment climate, the financial sector, governance, and civil society capacity]; and [iii] strengthening the social services sector.

Specifically the operation is expected to help lower transport and transit costs by ensuring regular road maintenance and streamlined customs procedures for the private sector.

The Malian economy nevertheless remains fragile, owing to its vulnerability to rainfall levels and fluctuations in commodity prices [mainly cotton, oil, and gold]. The economy is dependent on agriculture and gold production, and exports are heavily titled toward gold and cotton - together they account for 90 percent of export earnings. Mali faces challenges linked to its underdeveloped infrastructure and transport services, as well as the prevailing political and economic situations in neighbouring countries. The failure to resolve the Ivorian crisis continues to cast a shadow on the business climate, particularly on road transport and investment prospects. [WB 06/03/07]

Unrest In Guinea Impacts Malian Imports/Exports - 14/02/07
With the unrest in Guinea, Mali is seeing another of its direct neighbours in difficulty and yet another access to the sea being blocked. Only a few years ago, the Ivory Coast crisis meant Guinea had been considered as an option for goods to be imported or exported through the sea using the port of Conakry.
Cost of transport for goods is a decisive factor for the non competitiveness of several products in Mali export/Import. It leaves Dakar [Senegal], Tema [Ghana] and Lome [Togo] as the only reliable outlet to the sea. [OTAL Agent 14/02/07]

Transrail Minimizes Tariff Rise - 01/02/07
it has now been announced that the private railway company Transrail have postponed the application of a new tariff and have now limited any increases to a lower level. [OTAL Agent 01/02/07]

IMF Approves US$2 Million Disbursement / Extends Commitment Period To October 2007 - 14/02/07
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund [IMF] has completed the fifth review of Mali's economic performance under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility [PRGF] arrangement. The completion of the review enables the release of SDR1.3 million [about US$2 million], which will bring the total amount drawn under the arrangement to SDR 8 million [about US$12 million].

The Executive Board also approved Mali's request to extend the commitment period of the PRGF arrangement until October 31, 2007 to allow for the completion of the sixth review. The three-year PRGF arrangement with Mali was approved on June 23, in a total amount of SDR9.33 million [about US$13.9 million]. [IMF 14/02/07]

Mali Compact To The US Millennium Challenge Account - 14/02/07
In November 2006 President Toure attended the Signing of the Mali Compact to the US Millennium Challenge Account in Washington. The Mali compact is worth US$461million and is the biggest grant ever to be received by the country. The grant will build a new airport as well as an industrial Park in Bamako. The grant is to be executed over a five year period.

PSI
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[ TRIE ] [ PSI ]

Mali - Importers Fiscal Identity Numbers [NIF] - July 2005

In accordance with the latest decision of the Mailan customs authorities, the importers fiscal identity number [NIF = numero d'identification fiscale ] must be mentioned on all import documents, for border crossing operations. This number is the identification number of the Importer/Consignee at the Malian Tax Ministry.

In this respect please make sure and mention this ID number on all shipping documents [ at least suppliers' invoice, if possible the B/L ]. Since this document is required for forwarding purpose out of port of discharge to Mali, we need to receive it prior to vessel arrival with the advance notification or the shipping document, otherwise the oncarriage will be delayed until this number is known.

Transport Routier Inter Etat (TRIE) - September 2001

The issuance of a TRIE (Transport Routier Inter Etat) is now required for all oncarriage cargo ex Abidjan to Mali via road. This document will cost 15,000 CFA to be invoiced to the consignee.

The guarantee fund will now be split - payable by the consignee half in Côte d'Ivoire (0.75% on CIF value) and half in Mali (0.75% on CIF value). This replaces the previous procedure, ie payment of the guarantee fund at the border.

This process will involve the co-operation of both administration departments in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali and may take a while for information to flow smoothly. Administrative delays should be expected especially with charity consignments, which are exonerated from this regulation.

Pre-Shipment Inspection for Mali

General Information

Inspection Requirements

Price Comparision/ Seller's Invoice Requirements

Reporting Requirements

Inspection Fees

• Paid by importer in country of importation.
• Nevertheless, SGS may invoice the seller in the event of abortive inspection visits.
• the costs incurred by the seller in presenting the goods for inspection, such as unpacking, repacking, etc., are for the account of the seller.

Listing Of Goods Exempted from PSI

a) Gold and precious stones
b) Objects of art
c) Ammunition and arms other than those for hunting and/or sport
d) Explosives and pyrotechnic products
e) Live animals
f) Perishable goods for human consumption not frozen nor deep frozen (meat, fish, vegetables and fruit)
g) Scrap metals
h) Plants, seeds and flowering products
i) Cinematographic films - exposed and developed
j) Current newspapers and periodicals, postal and fiscal stamps, stamped papers, bank notes, cheque books, credit cards
k) Personal effects and domestic used items, including one used vehicle
i) Personal gifts
m) Parcel post
n) Commercial samples
) Crude oil
p) Donations offered by foreign governments and international organizations to charities, philanthropological organizations recognized as of public interest
q) Bona fide gifts, supplies to diplomatic and consular missions and supplies to United Nations organizations for their own use in Mali
r) Material and equipment ordered for the army for its own account
s) Wood
t) Fertilizers
u) Sera
v) Vaccines
w) Vehicles of headings 8702/8703/8704
x) Imports ordered by the public administrations for their own account

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Contacts and Links
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Chambre de Commerce, et d'Industrie de Bamako
Place de la Liberté, (B.P.46)
Bamako, Mali
Tel: +223 225036

SGS Website

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The information given in this document has been given in good faith and believed to be correct at the time of writing. Please verify these facts with other relevant sources before using this as the basis of any action taken as we regret we cannot accept liability for an consequences due to inaccuracies in this information.

"THE CARRIER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISSING OR INCORRECT IDR/CRI NUMBERS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY REMAINS WITH THE MERCHANT. ANY FINES/ PENALTIES LEVIED AGAINST THE CARRIER ARE FOR THE MERCHANT'S ACCOUNT"