Mali Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in mali, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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eCommerce
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Mali is a cash economy. Most of Mali’s commerce is informal, and transactions are generally completed with cash. Most products in Mali are sold through brick-and-mortar retail.  Despite high-speed internet presence in major cities, eCommerce has yet to be widely developed in Mali as internet market penetration remains low, but use of mobile payment apps is widespread and growing fast. The UNCTAD eCommerce Index for 2020 (most recent publication) ranks Mali 142nd out of 152 countries and shows that only 13 percent of Malians use the internet and only 35 percent have a bank account. The Government of Mali has a Ministry of Digital Economy as well as a Regulatory Authority for Telecommunication and Postal Services and an authority in charge of protecting personal data. Mali’s Unit for Business Reform (CTRCA) coordinates business climate reform efforts, including those related to intellectual property, personal data, and other relevant eCommerce issues. Domestic eCommerce and cross-border eCommerce between businesses and consumers are insignificant in Mali where only a limited number of consumers have recourse to major international eCommerce companies. Business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce is not common in Mali due to the perceived risks, including concerns about quality of products and about online payment. Social media platforms can facilitate B2B and business-to-consumer (B2C) connections through advertisements. 

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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