Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the eight (8) member countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA), nearly 70% of the population has no form of social coverage, particularly in terms of health insurance.

To address this shortfall, many mutualist organizations have been created in recent years to ensure the social protection of populations not covered by formal social security systems.

Article 1 of Regulation No. 07/2009/CM/UEMOA on the regulation of social mutuality within WAEMU defines a social mutual as a: "Group which, mainly by means of the contributions of its members, aims to carry out, in the interest of its members and their dependants, an action of provident care, mutual aid and solidarity aimed at preventing social risks linked to the person and remedying their consequences."

The political will to support the development of health mutuals in Mali has materialized through the inclusion of the promotion of this sector in various policy and program documents, notably the Sectoral Health and Population Policy (PSSP), the National Social Protection Policy (PNPS), the National Policy for the Promotion of the Social and Solidarity Economy (PNPESS), the Ten-Year Health and Social Development Plans (PDDSS), the Health and Social Development Programs (PRODESS) and the social protection extension plans.

The National Strategy for Extending Health Coverage through Mutuals (SNECM), revised in 2020, gave new momentum to the development of health mutuals, in the run-up to the launch of the Universal Health Insurance Scheme (RAMU).

With the new strategy, we now count 25 accredited interprofessional cercle mutuals, 5 of which received their accreditation in 2025.