Mali is one of the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its terrain a desert or semi-desert climate and with a highly unequal distribution of wealth. The main economic activity, agriculture, is concentrated almost entirely in the areas irrigated by the Niger River. Approximately 10% of the population is nomadic and 80% of the workforce is engaged in agriculture and fishing.

Education in Mali is characterized by high student-to-teacher ratios and high levels of absenteeism, especially among girls and in the rural areas. Health is another problem due to scarce sanitary resources, a lack of qualified healthcare professionals and the spread of infectious diseases caused by water contamination and stagnation. The armed conflict that erupted in the Nord Region in 2013 made the country's overall situation worse and led hundreds of thousands of people to migrate to the south.