United Nations Security Council chamber at UN World headquarters in New York

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –  NEW YORK  – The UN Security Council Monday renewed for one year the sanctions regime on Mali against individuals and entities derailing the peace process in the west African country.  The members of the council adopted Resolution 2484, which extended the sanction measures targeting individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali.  The Resolution extends the Mali sanctions measures—an asset freeze and travel ban—until 31 August 2021, and the mandate of the Mali Panel of Experts until 30 September 2021.  Members held one expert level meeting on the draft text on 18 August, the same day as the coup d’état in Mali. France, the penholder on Mali, placed the draft resolution under silence on 25 August, which Russia and China broke yesterday (26 August). Agreement was reached on the draft resolution following the completion of a second silence procedure that expired at 6 pm Thursday. 

Concern Criminal Networks involving Armed Group members Engage in Gold Production in MALI 

One issue where members had differences was around the Panel of Experts’ recommendation from its final report—dated 13 August—that the Council extend the designation criteria to include proceeds from the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources, including gold and manganese. The final report describes the artisanal gold boom in northern Mali’s Kidal region since 2018 and the Gourma area since March this year that has attracted some 200,000 workers. It notes that the gold boom helps the implementation of the 2015 Mali Peace and Reconciliation agreement by absorbing ex-combatants of armed groups and keeps youth from joining the groups. But the report says that it also threatens the peace agreement by supporting the expansion strategy of the Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad (CMA), a signatory party of the Mali peace agreement. It further maintains there is a risk that crimes are committed in the pursuit of wealth, and that criminal networks involving armed group members engage in gold production, which can negatively impact the agreement’s implementation.

UN Security Council Strongly Condemned MALI Military Coup

UN Photo/Kim Haughton  /   Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, President of the Republic of Mali, addresses the general debate of the 74th session General Assembly (file photo)

The UN Security Council strongly condemned the military mutiny in Mali that led to the arrest and  forced resignation of President  Keita. and expressed strong support to the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The members of the Security Council held an emergency meeting on the crisis in Mali and expressed their deep concern regarding the political developments.