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ROB MCCLENDON: WELL ANYONE THAT HAS EVER WORKED IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD WILL
TELL YOU IT IS EASY TO GET DISCOURAGED; CASE IN POINT, MALI, AFRICA.
I WAS ABLE TO GO THERE IN 2007 TO WORK WITH LOCAL JOURNALISTS.
LOCATED IN WESTERN AFRICA, THE COUNTRY OF MALI, IS IN MANY WAYS A STUDY OF
SUCCESS.
CULTURALLY DIVERSE, MALI HAS RISEN ABOVE ANCIENT TRIBAL TENSIONS THAT STILL
PLAGUE MUCH OF THE CONTINENT.
YET IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD THERE'S A RAZOR'S EDGE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND
DISASTER.
WHEN MUAMMAR GADDAFI WAS KILLED AND LIBYA FELL INTO DISARRAY, HIS WEAPONS
BECAME AVAILABLE.
THE TUAREG PEOPLE, WHO LIVE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF MALI THAT BORDERS
LIBYA, SEIZED THOSE WEAPONS AND DECLARED THEIR OWN INDEPENDENCE.
NOW FRUSTRATED WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT'S INABILITY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT
REBELLION, THE MALI MILITARY STAGED A BLOODLESS COUP IN THE
SOUTH.
THEN, ISLAMIC RADICALS, WHO HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT A BIGGER PRESENCE IN THAT
PART OF AFRICA, CAME IN AND FOUGHT THE TUAREG, OVERPOWERING THEM; AND
NOW, THE NORTHERN PART OF MALI IS CONTROLLED BY ISLAMIC MILITIAS LINKED TO
AL-QAEDA.
AND MORE THAN A HALF-MILLION PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO FLEE FOR THEIR
LIVES; THAT, IN A COUNTRY THAT HAD BEEN ONE OF AFRICA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL
DEMOCRACIES.
AND AS WE HAVE SEEN TIME AFTER TIME, POLITICAL INSTABILITY LEADS TO THE
VERY FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL DAY
TODAY.
I'M ROB MCCLENDON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.