Panafrican News Agency

Mali opens centre for citizens living abroad at Ivorian border

Bamako, Mali (PANA) – An accommodation, information and orientation centre for Malians living abroad was opened on Friday at Zegoua in Mali, close to the border with Côte d'Ivoire, official sources told PANA on Saturday.

The centre aims to facilitate border crossing and ensure a better control of migration while maintaining reliable national statistics on the cross-border movements, said the same sources.

The centre will also assist returning Malians who have resided abroad for a long time, said Malian Minister for Malians Living Abroad and African Integration, Mr. Yaya Sangare.

Representatives of the Ivorian government attended the opening ceremony that was also witnessed by officials of local authorities, the High Council of Malians Living Abroad and the Association of the Malians expelled from African and European countries.

-0- PANA GT/JSG/MSA/AR 22Dec2018