Yeah made his way to Tombouctou, this past week, to meet supporters in this distant region of Mali. Tombouctou does actually exist and if you had a mom like mine, you were banished there almost every week. I actually didn’t know it was a real place till I met Yeah, and even then I thought he was pulling my leg for the first few months. The goal of the meeting was to introduce Yeah and PACP to the different regions in Tombouctou.
Located in the North of Mali, Tombouctou Region is one of the administrative regions of Mali. It is the largest of the eight regions and includes a large section of the Sahara desert. For administrative purposes the region is subdivided into five cercles.
The meeting was set up by the Mayor of Bourem City Mohammed Toure. In attendance were the PACP Coordination Committees and at least 200 people. The meeting began with intro by Sulemane Samaké, who eloquently presented the vision of PACP and the values of its candidate. He talked about the major accomplishments and the things that Yeah has actually done for his country without personally benefiting.
Then came the most important part of the one and half hour meeting. There was a Q & A held. Issues ranging from education to health care were discussed. The most important issue discussed was regarding the insecurity in the region and its effect on tourism. Currently, most Western countries have a travel advisory out for the Northern region of Mali. The problem has affected Mali because Al Qaeda has captured foreigners in other countries and then brings them across the border into Mali. This will be a huge concern that needs to be dealt with if Yeah is elected. Tombouctou, without the travel warnings, could be a very beneficial touristic spot. Every year the Festival in the Desert attracts scores of musicians from every genre. During three days, around 30 artistic groups are invited from all around the world to present their art.( http://www.festival-au-desert.org/).
This faraway region is extremely important to the candidacy. It will be important to build lasting relationships with the leaders and people of Tombouctou. Not only for security and stability reasons but to also hone the importance, innocence and beauty of this touristic place.
Moving Mali Forward 