(4 minutes read)
Mali’s Foreign Ministry called on the United Nations Security Council to withdraw the peacekeeping mission operational in the country for about a decade. The Minister accused the UN mission of failing to respond to security challenges. The Government calls for the withdrawal without delay of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
Mali’s Foreign Ministry called on the United Nations Security Council to withdraw the peacekeeping mission operational in the country for about a decade. The Minister accused the UN mission of failing to respond to security challenges. The Government calls for the withdrawal without delay of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
MINUSMA head El Ghassim Wane reacted to the Minister’s statement by saying that it was nearly impossible to maintain the mission without the host country’s consent. Addressing the Security Council, the Minister said his government was willing to cooperate with the UN. However, he rejected all options proposed by the UN secretary-general to change the mandate of the mission.
In January, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed three amendments to the mission. Proposals included increasing personnel and withdrawing troops. The UN chief eventually opted for a middle ground. MINUSMA seems to have become part of the problem by fueling community tensions exacerbated by extremely serious allegations which are highly detrimental to peace, reconciliation and national cohesion in Mali, accused the Minister. He added that the mission’s actions created a feeling of distrust among the Malian population.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/mali-a-referendum-on-constitution-on-sunday/
https://trendsnafrica.com/us-150-million-ida-funding-to-mali-to-degraded-land-restoration-project/
https://trendsnafrica.com/railway-line-between-bamako-kayes-resumed-in-mali/
UN experts have recently pointed to human rights violations exercised by the Malian military junta, as well as its Russian supporters, the mercenary Wagner group, prompting the former’s ire. Set up in 2013, MINUSMA’s mission, aimed to stabilize Mali amid a growing jihadist insurgency. However, relations between the mission and the ruling regime became tense recently, especially following the military take-over in a 2020 coup, followed by another coup nine months later.
In August 2022, Malian authorities also expelled MINUSMA Spokesman Olivier Salgado, and ordered the temporary suspension of the mission’s group rotations. Earlier this year in February, Mali’s ruling military junta declared a senior official of the peacekeeping mission persona non grata, giving him 48 hours to leave the country.
