El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Delegation to Mali, APART FROMinformed the Security Council of the main developments in the West African country over the past three months.
MINUSMA was established a decade ago after insecurity in the north and a failed military coup, which led to the signing of a peace agreement between the government and two coalition armed groups in 2015. .
Revived in battle
Mr. Wane updated the ambassadors on the peace process and progress in the transition to civilian rule following the coup three years ago, but began by focusing on insecurity, in the context of growing humanitarian needs.
He said the security crisis in northeastern Ménaka had worsened, recalling that he had sounded the alarm for the first time last year.
Since January, fighting between the Islamic State in the Great Sahara (ISGS) and the jihadist group JNIM has flared up again. The extremists are competing to expand their sphere of influence and control supply lines, he said, and engage in repeated attacks on civilians.
Humanitarian response to stress
Despite the activities of Malian and Niger forces, the security and humanitarian situation remains dire. More than 30,000 displaced people have converged near the main city, also known as Ménaka, and around 2,400 have taken shelter near a MINUSMA camp. Mr. Wane last visited the area three weeks ago.
“The flow of internal migrants has been increased tension over humanitarian responsewith people in urgent need of drinking water, food, medicine and shelter,” he said.
“Hearing the evacuees begging us, literally, for water was a shocking experience,” he added.
MINUSMA peacekeepers continue their efforts to protect civilians, including patrolling day and night in coordination with Malian forces. The mission also promotes mediation efforts to defuse tensions within the community.
Extremists increase attacks
Meanwhile, Gao and the central Mali region also saw confrontations between ISGS and JNIM. Several armed groups that have signed peace agreements have also joined the fight against the ISIL branch.
Mr. Wane said Mali’s activities had generally disrupted extremist activities in the center, forcing them to disperse to neighboring Timbuktu and Gao areas.
“Under this pressure, extremist groups are increasingly starting to use IEDs (improvised explosive devices) to impede land-based movements of the Malian Defense and Security Forces, in addition to those of the Malian Defense and Security Forces,” he said. surprise attacks on various police stations along the main supply routes.”
Given the situation, the recent adoption and launch of the Government’s three-year stabilization strategy for the center is an important step, he said. MINUSMA has assisted in developing the strategy and will support its implementation.
UN Police Patrol Menaka Area in northeastern Mali.
Need more coordination
Faced with security challenges, Mr. Wane emphasized the need for closer coordination between Malian forces and the United Nations Mission. He welcomed the recent steps taken at the regional level, which he said must be strengthened, adding that freedom of movement is equally important.
“We continue to face challenges in this respect, particularly regarding the use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and some of our land operations,” he said.
“Improvements in this respect are critical to the Delegation’s ability to live up to the legitimate expectations of the people and government of Malian to improve efficiency.”
Peace Agreement 2015
Turning to political developments, Mr. Wane reported that engagement around the 2015 Peace and Security Agreement continues, particularly towards securing the resumption of various surveillance mechanisms.
International mediators led by Algeria have submitted proposals on the matter and hastened the implementation of the remaining provisions of the agreement, which he hopes the parties will consider.
Transition to civilian mode
Regarding the transition, Mr. Wane reported that the constitutional referendum, scheduled for last month, had been postponed to ensure the newly established independent election regulator (AIGE) was working. full motion.
Although a new date has yet to be announced, the Malian government has stated that the delay will not affect the restoration of constitutional order by the March 2024 deadline.
Authorities have also taken steps to facilitate the completion of the transition, including finalizing the draft constitution and passing important pieces of legislation related to election and re-election laws. territorial organization.
He added: “It is also noteworthy that the ongoing establishment of local structures by AIGE as well as the printing and distribution of biometric identification cards will serve as voter cards.
Take advantage of the ‘unique location’
Mr. Wane concluded his press conference by stating that although there are many challenges in Mali, progress made in many areas should not be ignored “even if what is achieved after a decade Strong international participation is below expectations, especially what is in Malian. everybody.”
These advances show that “with sustained engagement from the international community and commitment from Mali’s stakeholders, the situation can be turned around.”
He firmly believes that the UN “provides the best framework to support the long-term stability of Mali and the wider Sahel region”, in partnership with the African Union and the ECOWAS regional bloc.
“We have all necessary toolsfrom peacekeeping to peace building and development, and our actions are determined by principles that bind all members of the Organization, of which Mali is one of them,” he said. .
“This is a unique location should continue to be useddue to the importance of Mali’s stability to the region and beyond.”
