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EU development ministers discuss situation in Mali

BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- EU Development Ministers who are meeting in Dublin Monday and tomorrow will discuss aid to Mali, according to an Irish EU Presidency statement.
"There has been good progress in stabilising the security situation in Mali, but it is critical that the provision of humanitarian aid and the political process keep pace. We will discuss how best the EU can support Malian authorities and civilians on the road to recovery," said Joe Costello, Irish Minister for Trade and Development, in press statements.
The Informal Meeting of Development Ministers takes place in Dublin Castle as part of Ireland's Presidency of the EU.
On Tuesday, EU Development Ministers will discuss EU efforts to increase the resilience of vulnerable communities in the Horn of Africa to natural disasters and crises.
"This work is increasingly important as the number and intensity of disasters increases. Major emergencies have occurred every year over the past decade, from the Darfur conflict which started in 2003 to the Horn of Africa food crisis in 2011.
As the number of crises increases, the need to plan for them as part of our overall development assistance becomes more critical. This will form an important part of the discussions in Dublin," said Costello. (end) nk.tg KUNA 111735 Feb 13NNNN