Mali agrees to French immigration quota

Mali and France will soon work out a balanced agreement on immigration, which will be of benefit to both countries, the French embassy said Wednesday. According to the statement, the two countries will soon exchange ideas with a view to setting out appropriate measures to control the movement of illegal immigrants. Mali had previously declined to sign with France, any agreement whose objective was to return illegal immigrants back to where they came from. France had offered Mali an annual quota of 1,500 work and residence permits for new arrivals or Malians already living illegally in France.