UN MINUSMA Operation in MALI To Continue Despite Violence, Endless Cycle of Instability

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United Nations peacekeepers on patrol in the Eastern Sector of Mali.       (Photo: MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko)

By Gary  Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES
UNITED  NATIONS   –   NEW  YORK  –    Mali has descended into a dangerous, “endless cycle of instability”  amid a military coup, on-going extremist attacks, and Russian mercenaries operating in the west African nation.  In addition,  West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS  imposed crippling sanctions on Mali in January due to the military rulers refusal to hold promised election this past February.  And if that is not enough, French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered France begin withdrawing troops from Mali after nearly 10 years fighting armed unrest.  France has about 5,100 soldiers in the Sahel as part of its Operation Barkhane mission.  France’s withdrawal of troops in Mali will leave UN peacekeepers and civilians in danger.  The UN mission was established by Security Council resolution 2100 of 25 April 2013 to support political processes in that country and carry out a number of security-related tasks.   MINUSMA is the most dangerous UN peacekeeping operation in the world with more than 200 “blue helmets” killed since 2013.  It is bound to be an even deadlier UN mission after French soldiers depart. 
Earlier this year,  the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Mali, El-Ghassim Wane, told the Security Council that a decade after civil conflict erupted in the country, hopes for an early resolution to insurgency and strife have not materialized. 
 The UN top envoy to Mali explained:

“insecurity has expanded, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated, more children are of out of school and the country has been affected by an endless cycle of instability.”  

 

53 French Soldiers Killed in Sahel Operation Barkhane Since 2013

(credit: defense.gouv.fr)  BCH Tanerii MAURI, 1 CL Quentin PAUCHET and 1 CL Dorian ISSAKHANIAN of the 1st Chasseurs regiment of Thierville-sur-Meuse were killed Dec. 28, 2020 in the region of Hombori, Mali. 

Mali is in a political crisis, having gone through two military coups last year.  Operation Barkhane is a $1 Billion per year mission that failed in its mission of eradicating Islamist terror in the Sahel, as such deadly attacks continue despite the presence of thousands of soldiers and UN peacekeepers.  There have been 53 combat deaths suffered by French forces since they first deployed troops in the Sahel in 2013 for its battle against Islamist extremists.   UN MINSUMA is a  $1.2 Billion/year UN MINUSMA operation All those soldiers and peacekeepers in a combined operation costing more than $2 Billion per year, and Mali and the Sahel are none the safer after 10 years.

MINUSMA  Mission “Has Not Failed”   –  UN Spokesperson 

(By Gary Raynaldo   / ©Diplomatic Times)    Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, briefs reporters at UN world headquarters in New York.

During a press briefing  with Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, at UN world headquarters Tuesday Apr. 19, 2022,    a reporter with Diplomatic Times asked him if the UN MINUSMA peacekeeping operation has failed.  The UN spokesperson said it had not, pointing out that the mission continues operating in an extremely challenging environment. 

“No, I would not agree that the Mission has failed, at all.  The Mission is working in an extremely challenging environment, from the extremely violent attacks against it, our, some of our colleagues have paid the ultimate price, while fulfilling their mandate, which includes, and first and foremost, about the protection of civilians to also support the Malian people.  We’ve seen what I would refer to as the, we’ve seen the coup and the impact that has had.  The relationship with the Malian authorities, I think, is tense at times.  We’ve also seen the presence of bilateral forces.  It is an extremely challenging environment, but our colleagues on the ground are continuing to do their best to fulfill their mandate.”

-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General

 

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