Marrakesh Treaty: Mali takes the plunge for Africa

By Marrakesh Notification No. 5: Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, WIPO has announced the deposit by the Government of the Republic of Mali, on 16 December, of its instrument of ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty (which won't come into force till the required number of ratifications or accessions is reached in accordance with Article 18 of the Treaty -- that's three months after 20 eligible parties have deposited their instruments of accession or ratification).  At the time of writing this blogpost, the number of countries signing up for the Treaty stands at just five, of which Mali is the first and only representative from Africa.

Full text of the Treaty here
Ratifications and accessions here
Blindness and visual impairment in Mali here
River blindness in Mali here
Amadou and Mariam: blind performers in Mali here