Mali’s interim military authorities on Friday asked for a UN peacekeeping force to leave “without delay,” citing a “crisis of confidence” between Malian authorities and the decade-long UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
It marks a major turning point for the West African country, which has struggled to stem an Islamist insurgency that took root following an uprising in 2012. MINUSMA was deployed by the UN Security Council in 2013 to support foreign and local efforts to restore stability.
Frustrations over the growing insecurity spurred two coups in 2020 and 2021 and the ruling junta has been increasingly at loggerheads with MINUSMA and other international allies including France.
Photo: Reuters
“Unfortunately, MINUSMA seems to have become a part of the problem in fueling intercommunity tensions,” Malian Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Integration and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop told the 15-member council.
“This situation is begetting mistrust among the Malian population and also causing a crisis of confidence between Malian authorities and MINUSMA,” he said. “The Malian government asks for the withdrawal, without delay, of MINUSMA.”
Security Council members must adopt a resolution to extend MINUSMA’s mandate by June 30. A resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, Britain or France to pass.
The junta has burnt bridges with traditional Western allies and turned to Russia for help boosting its military capabilities. Western governments are worried about the presence of Russian private military contractor the Wagner Group.
Russia Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia on Friday told the council that the peacekeeping mission could only be successful if there was “very close coordination with the host country and respect for sovereignty of Mali.”
“The real issue is not the number of peacekeepers, but the functions, and one of the key tasks for the government of Mali is fighting terrorism, which is not provided for in the mandate of the blue helmets,” Nebenzia said.
The priority tasks of the mission — as mandated by the Security Council — are to help stabilize Mali by supporting a political transition, protect civilians under threat of physical violence, promote and protect human rights and create a secure environment for humanitarian aid deliveries.
Violence has spiraled since 2015 with attacks by groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State spreading to Mali’s neighbors in the Sahel region. Thousands have been killed and more than 6 million displaced, the UN says.
French Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere said that a UN report to the council had stated that despite dialogue between MINUSMA and the Malian authorities, UN peacekeepers were still being impeded in their movements.
“Since the arrival of Wagner in Mali, this restriction has only increased as have serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” De Riviere said.
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