The Karakoro Basin, the "great lake" in Soninké, takes it source from the foothillls south of Assaba and flows into the Senegal River in Guidimakha (Mauritania). Along the 150 km, or 3/4 of its length, the wadi constitutes a natural border between Mauritania and Mali.  The Basin extends over 25 000 km² (with 250 000 inhabitants). Situated in the pre-Sahelian zone, its high rainfall is favourable to agro pastoralism. Streaked with numerous watercourses, moving around is difficult during the rainy season, notwithstanding the constant human mobility (Fulas, Soninkés and Maures) which has always characterised this area. Economic trade across the three borders (including Senegal) is centered on cattle, agricultural or manufactured products. These dynamics are intensified with the decentralisation and consultation processes underway on the joint management of the Karakoro Basin.

This Cross-border Land Planning Programme of the Karakoro Basin is a result of extensive lobbying in the wake of strategic thinking inspired by the GRDR interventions in the Senegal River Basin (Mali, Mauritania, Senegal) for over thirty years.  It is based on numerous cross-border cooperation agreements and conventions linking Mali and Mauritania since independence. Finally, it contributes to new African sub-regional and regional local integration dynamics.

Calendar 2007 :

February 2007: 2nd meeting in Kayes (Mali) of actors involved in the pilot operation. Three areas were addressed: infrastructure, natural resources and the dynamics of the local economy. Summary Record to be available shortly.

To know more about Karakoro region:

- Overlook

- Trade

- Health sector

- Cattle

 Since 2006...

 September 2006: Official launching meeting in Nouakchott (Mauritania) on 19 and 20 with the following objectives:
- Bring together territorial administration services of Mali and Mauritania responsible for cross-border issues
- Validate an institutional mechanism for the development and implementation of the initiative
- Develop a concerted cross-border land planning programme in the Karakoro Basin. See the Summary Record.