United Nations Security Council Meets on the Situation in Mali at UN world headquarters in New York Oct. 18, 2022. (UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – The UN Security Council Tuesday expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in Mali and the “transnational dimension” of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region. The UN Security council met a day after four U.N. peacekeepers from Chad were killed in northern Mali after their vehicle hit a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) and several others were seriously wounded. The peacekeepers were part of the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) searching for land mines in the Tessalit, Kidal region. In June, The Security Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) until 30 June 2023. The 2021-2022 MINUSMA budget was $1,270,104,400. The Security Council decided that MINUSMA shall retain its current troop strength of 13,289 military personnel and 1,920 police personnel. Attacks on MINUSMA peacekeepers are on the rise as MINUSMA continues to operate in an asymmetric threat environment.
Mali remains locked in a dangerous, “endless cycle of instability” amid a military coup, delay of return to civilian rule, on-going extremist attacks, and Russian mercenaries operating in the west African nation.
MINUSMA suffered 21 explosive device attacks resulting in 5 peacekeepers killed and16 injured, compared to the previous period which recorded 18 attacks. This year already, 12 UN peacekeepers have been killed in Mali in hostile acts. The members of the Security Council called on the Transitional Government of Mali to swiftly investigate the attack with the support of MINUSMA. The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. The Security Council also urged the Malian parties to fully implement the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali without further delay.
12 UN Peacekeepers killed in MALI in Hostile Acts This Year
Credit: unminusma) Attacks on MINUSMA peacekeepers in Mali are on the rise as MINUSMA continues to operate in an asymmetric threat environment.
The security dynamics in Mali were marked by a spike in the activities of extremist elements affiliated with Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, leading to increased threats against civilians and attacks on the Malian Defence and Security Forces and MINUSMA, according to the latest Security Council report.
Security Situation in Mali remains Volatile; Significant progress made in preparation for elections: MINUSMA Special Representative of the Secretary-General
El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, briefs the Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali at UN world headquarters in New York Oct. 18, 2022. (Credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
“The security situation remains volatile in the center of Mali and in the tri-border area between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger,” El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali told the Security Council.
However on a political level, it was noted that significant progress has been made regarding transitional elections.
“Since August, the peace process has seen encouraging developments”, according to El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, told the Security Council Tuesday. He said there has been significant progress made in preparation for elections. In its final communiqué, issued following its sixty-first ordinary summit, the Authority of Heads of State and Government took note of the transition timetable submitted by the Malian authorities, which extends the transition until the end of
March 2024. On that basis, the Authority decided to lift the economic and financial sanctions imposed on 9 January 2022 while maintaining certain institutional sanctions and sanctions against individuals and groups. This decision is the result of extensive discussions at the extraordinary summit of ECOWAS on 4 June and subsequent efforts by the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali – the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – and the local transition follow-up committee (comprised of the African Union, ECOWAS and MINUSMA) to reconcile the request of Mali for a 24-month extension of the transition with the earlier pronouncements of the ECOWAS Authority on the matter.
MALIAN People Have Decided to Take Their Destiny into Their Own Hands: Mali Foreign Minister
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop speaks with reporters outside United Nations Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York Oct. 18, 2022 after meeting on the situation in Mali.
Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop accused UN Security Council of not acknowledging the Malian authorities role in making significant progress in protecting civilians. He also noted the “illegal” arrival of mercenaries from the Ivory Coast to Mali who he said were heavily armed . A Mali prosecutor said in August the 49 Ivory Coast soldiers held in Mali since July on accusations of being mercenaries have been charged with undermining state security.
Mali accuses France of Arming Terrorists in letter to UN
In an August 16, 2022 letter Mali’s Foreign Affairs Minister Diop alleged that its airspace has been breached more than 50 times this year, mostly by French forces using drones, military helicopters and fighter jets. Mr. Diop called for an emergency meeting with the United Nations to take stock of the situation in the country. “These flagrant violations of Malian airspace were used by France to collect information for terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and to drop arms and ammunition to them,” the letter said. During Tuesday’s Security Council meeting Mr. Diop reiterated the charges against France, and accused the Council of not mentioning them in its latest report.
Mr. Diop expressed surprise “the report failed to mention the invasion of Malian airspace on 15 August by French forces, in violation of international law and the United Nations Charter” , adding: “There needs to be a meeting of the Council on acts of espionage and destabilization waged by France on Mali.”
The foreign minister also declared that the “Malian people have decided to take their destiny into their own hands”.
FRANCE Ambassador Denies Mali Accusation France Violated Malian Airspace
During Tuesday’s Security Council meeting, the French ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Rivière took great offense to Mali’s allegations it violated its air space and that France is trying to destabilize Mali. Ambassador de Rivière took issue with the “mendacious and defamatory” accusations by the Malian transitional Government contained in the letter transmitted to the Council on 15 August and “again just repeated before the Council” by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali.
“I profoundly regret these grave accusations by the Malian transitional authorities against France. France has never violated Mali’s air space!”
“France was engaged for nine years alongside Mali, at that country’s request, to fight terrorist groups and 59 French soldiers died in that struggle. No matter what Mali’s says, France will stay in the Sahel region, in Chad, Guinea. We have an obligation to protect the people from terrorists. Civilians are the main victims of terrorism”.
-Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent Representative of France to the UN
Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent Representative of France to the UN
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO / Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop speaks with reporters outside United Nations Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York Oct. 18, 2022 after meeting on the situation in Mali.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO / Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop speaks with reporters outside United Nations Security Council at UN world headquarters in New York Oct. 18, 2022 after meeting on the situation in Mali.
