Since the crisis of 2012/2013, the situation in Mali has served as further proof that weak relations between the state and society are one of the fundamental causes of state fragility, both limiting the effectiveness of development programs and increasing the risk of violent sociopolitical conflicts erupting. Based on this experience, promoting constructive state/society relations in politically fragile regions has become another key focal area of development work.
The same applies to the activities of FriEnt’s member organizations in Mali, which is why, in March 2015, FriEnt held a roundtable discussion on Mali to kick-start a long-term process of reflection on the options for implementation in this context. Six representatives from local Malian partner organizations were among the guests invited to this initial event, which focused on the question of what links between which institutions and actors – from both the state and society – could help bring about tangible progress in firmly embedding state institutions in society. The Malian participants turned the discussion toward the importance of religious and traditional authorities. According to them, relations between these long-established structures and more modern national and decentralized state institutions are very weak. Their general opinion was that positive changes that would give traditional authorities and religious institutions a voice and opportunities for participation in dealings with government bodies could significantly improve the prospects of a successful reconciliation process.
In June 2016, as a follow-up to the roundtable debate, FriEnt invited participants to come and share their experiences and assessments of the role played by religious actors in implementing the peace agreement in Mali. At this discussion forum, it was generally agreed that the actions of religious groups will have a significant yet highly ambivalent influence on the peace process. However, the question of what chances there are to provide external impetus to strengthen the constructive potential of these actors without weakening the legitimacy of the state remains a contentious issue.
