The Malian government has reinstated the Operational Dictionary of Occupations and Jobs (DOME), a reference tool designed to improve the clarity of the labour market.
The ceremony was held in Bamako, presided over by the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Entrepreneurship, Employment, and Vocational Training, representing Minister Oumou Sall Seck, and attended by officials from the Ministry, the National Employment Agency (ANPE), and members of the ad hoc committee responsible for developing DOME.
According to ministry officials, DOME aims to establish a common language between public and private sector stakeholders in the employment sector, facilitating the collection of job offers, the
identification of job seekers’ skills, and the guidance of training policies.
The tool is presented as a support for labour market intermediation and decision-making regarding employment and vocational training.
The Malian initiative to relaunch the DILE tool for restructuring the labour market and occupations comes at a time of contrasting socio-economic conditions, marked by high underemployment and a
largely informal economy.
According to estimates from the International Labour Organization, cited by the World Bank, the official unemployment rate in Mali was around 3.1% in 2024. National statistics published by the National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) report a similar rate, estimated at approximately 2.4%, according to the Labour Market Indicators Bulletin.
These levels, low by international standards, nevertheless reflect the specific structure of the Malian economy.
According to the World Bank, more than 80% of jobs in Mali are in the informal sector, primarily in agriculture, trade, and low-productivity services. In this context, the low official unemployment rate reflects a higher level of participation in precarious work than widespread access to formal employment.
The situation of young people remains a central issue. ILO model estimates indicate that the unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds was around 4 percent in 2024, while the proportion of young people not in employment, training, or education remains high, according to several
regional analyses.
The World Bank also highlights a persistent mismatch between the training provided and the needs of the labour market.
It is from this perspective that the authorities present the DOME (Digital Skills and Employment Framework) as a tool for structuring the labour market. The ad hoc commission responsible for its
development was established by a ministerial decision in March 2024, before the list of its members was finalised in March 2025. Its responsibilities include identifying existing reference frameworks,
defining the methodology for producing the dictionary, and establishing validation and update procedures.
The two-day workshop brings together around thirty participants from government agencies,
public employment services, and technical organizations. The timeline for finalising the National Employment Strategy (DOME) and the quantified indicators of its short-term impact are still being
finalised.
According to World Bank data, nearly 300,000 young people enter the Malian labour market each year, while the creation of formal jobs remains limited.
In this context, the government is seeking to strengthen labour market planning and regulation tools, focusing on better identification of occupations and skills.
MD/Sf/fss/as/APA