22 FEBRUARY 2005

Click here to send this news item to a friend

Article continues below...

ADVERTISING

Belgium's Princess Mathilde is unlikely to forget the rapturous reception she has received in the African nation of Mali. The royal visitor, who is making a four-day visit to the land-locked country, was greeted by over a hundred local women when she stepped down onto the tarmac at Bamako Airport.

The colourfully-dressed welcome party danced and applauded enthusiastically for their VIP guest. And Mathilde found herself on the receiving end of an equally impassioned greeting, this time from a huge crowd of children, when she paid a visit to one of the city's schools the following day.

The future queen will also be taking some eye-catching souvenirs back to Brussels - her hosts weren't about to let her go home empty-handed.

But there was a more serious side to trip: Mathilde was accompanied by International Cooperation Minister Armand De Decker, who is overseeing efforts to help the beleaguered country. Mali faces a tough challenge if it is to tackle the problems of poverty, women's rights and the spread of HIV. But the former French colony is getting a helping hand from the Belgian government, which is pumping millions into bilateral cooperation programs.


  • /2005/07/22/belgiannationalday
  • /2005/02/22/princessmathilde
  • /2004/10/13/princessmathilde

The royal visitor is presented with an eye-catching ornament upon her arrival at one of Bamako's hospitals
Photo: © AFP
Click on photos for gallery

A huge crowd of smiling children turned out to welcome the 32-year-old outside the clinic
Photo: © AFP

PROMOTION

ROYAL HOUSES


Select from the
pull-down menu:

SPECIAL!

Prince William on course for his sovereign destiny

SPECIAL!

The lasses who've set regal hearts racing

PROMOTION