On the basis of the current and projected food situation for the 2019 starving season, the Republic of Mali completed the request submitted on 26 July 2018 for food assistance by sending its commitment letter to replenish the stocks of 504 tons of the Regional Food Security Reserve that it wishes to mobilize, and submitted a supplementary request for 2,352 tons of white rice through another letter dated 07 June 2019. Subsequently, the Regional Food Security Reserve Adhoc Management Committee Members met in Abuja, Nigeria, on June 27 to decide upon this request under the chairmanship of the Federal Nigerian Minister for Agriculture.

After due fruitful discussions and considering the difficult food security situation of an important part of the Malian population and the available intervention means of the Regional Reserve, the AdHoc Management Committee considered eligible Mali's request for assistance.

The Committee therefore decided to mobilize 2,856 tons of cereals from the Regional Reserve stocks stored in OPAM stores of which 202 tons of white maize and 302 tons of white rice stored in Bamako and 2,352 tons of white rice in Koutiala to support the country in the implementation of the Operation Plan of its National Food Security Mechanism and the 2019 National Response Plan.

The Ad Hoc Committee calls on ECOWAS to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Mali for this intervention and reminds the Government of Mali that the commitment to replenish the stock of 2,352 tons of white rice must be confirmed by an official letter signed by the Prime Minister.

To recall, the Adhoc Committee is made up of the three regional organizations, namely ECOWAS, UEMOA, CILSS and the Ministry of Agriculture of the country chairing the Presidency in office of the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government.