The importance of reliable data to allow for rational governance-related decisions has been recognized in Mali for a long time which is shown by a number of reforms within the national statistics system during the last fifteen years. Sweden and Mali is cooperating within the field since 2009 to strengthen the capacity in Mali to allow the country to produce reliable data that can contribute to development and poverty reduction. Sida has funded this work that is jointly implemented by Swedish SCB and their Malian counterpart INSTAT. The work contributes to the objectives Mali has established in its poverty reduction strategy, the Millennium Development Goals as well as the more recent Sustainable Development Goals. The objective is to produce reliable data and qualitative analyses that enable follow-up of development interventions. The framework for statistics in Mali has improved in recent years and the capacity of the institute has been strengthened as part of a national roadmap for statistics (SDS – Schema pour le Developpement Statistique). Via authority specific statistics units (CPS – Cellules de Production Statistique) the capacity within health, education and environmental statistics has been strengthened. The suggested intervention intends to continue this important work through two main components, one technical component where SCB will strengthen the capacity of INSTAT and a financial component with data collection, for instance via Permanent Modular Household Surveys (EMOP – Enquête Modulaire Permanente auprès des Ménages) and via improvement of statistical infrastructure. The first component, the technical one, is governed contractually by an agreement between the Embassy and SCB as well as a tjänsteköpsavtal and the second one, the financial one, by an agreement between the Embassy and INSTAT (signed by the Mali Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Focus among the sectors will continue to be on social and economic data but the intervention also includes capacity building regarding environmental statistics which is important for instance to adapt to climate change. The intervention also aims at strengthening INSTAT's capacity to produce, analyze and present gender disaggregated data. The intervention produces data on the different development needs of people in different parts of Mali which is necessary to avoid marginlization, prevent conflict and promote peace and security.Given the importance of good statistics and statistical analyses for good governance it is proposed that the embassy invests SEK 49 895 000 SEK including SEK 31 391 000 for technical support by SCB and SEK 18 504 000 SEK for financial support to INSTAT for the above-mentioned intervention. The technical support by SCB will be governed by a service purchase agreement between the Embassy and SCB and the financial support to INSTAT will be established via a agreement between the Embassy and INSTAT where Mali will be represested by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.