Bamako, Mali - Harmful practices such as bush fires, excessive cutting of timber and occupation of forest reserves in Mali are causing economic losses of about 61.2 billion FCFA per year, or 1 8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to the country, the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation disclosed to PANA here Wednesday. According to experts of the department, an annual loss of 19.2 billion CFA francs, or 5.8 per cent of GDP, is recorded in the 'soils and forests' field. The Malian government has decided to take action to reverse trends of degradation of natural resources by creating the Agency for the Environment and Sustainable Development (Aedd) and the National Environment Council.

The government has also embarked on the development of national policy and strategy for climate change, the establishment of an effective coordination of multilateral environmental agreements and an Environment Fund that will facilitate the mobilization and management of funds at national and international levels, transfer of skills and management of state's natural resources to communities and the adoption of the five-year reforestation programme.

Pana 09/06/2011