December 26, 2009 -- The Malian government on Friday launched construction works to build a new 241 hectare- high-tech industrial zone for industrial and commercial development in the suburbs of Segou, a town located at 240 km north-east of Bamako.

The site is expected to provide resettlement opportunities to 350 industrial and commercial businesses for an expected investment of 11 billion CFA francs, Malian official sources said.   

Segou is the second in a series of five modern industrial zones the Malian government intends to develop across the country to attract foreign investors and boost the business sector.   

The works for a first modern industrial zone under implementation had been launched on 30 July in Dialakorobougou, about 10 km east of the capital, by the Malian President, Amadou Toumani Touré.   

Three other high-tech zones are to be implemented by "the Agency for the Development and Management of Industrial Zones" in Kayes (the country’s western region), in Sikasso (south) and Mopti in the centre.   

With a mainly agro-pastoral-based economy with a strong predominance of primary sector, Mali had experienced a good period of industrialization at the beginning of its independence in 1960.   

But currently, there are officially only 307 industrial enterprises against 6,000 and 4,000 in the two respective neighbouring countries of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. (APA)