13 June 2022
Let me begin by thanking SRSG Wane for briefing the Council and commend the work carried out by all peacekeepers and personnel of MINUSMA operating in extremely challenging conditions. I also want to thank Ms Touré for her insightful remarks.
And we welcome the participation in this meeting of his Excellency Mr Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali.
Allow me to make few points.
First, we strongly condemn the recent attacks perpetrated against MINUSMA and the Red Cross team, causing the death of three Egyptian and Jordanian peacekeepers and two aid workers. Our condolences are with the families of the victims and the Authorities of Egypt and Jordan. We call on the Malian authorities to investigate these attacks and hold perpetrators to account.
The security situation in Mali is dire and remains a major challenge to the stability of the country. The continued offensive by jihadist groups has magnified the humanitarian crisis, as USG Griffiths rightly highlighted following his visit to Mali.
Regarding the decision of the Malian authorities to delay the return to civilian rule by 24 months starting from March 2022, we think dialog is necessary.
And we commend the efforts of ECOWAS to engage with the Malian authorities to find a mutually agreed timeline. It is vital that a swift solution to the political stalemate between Bamako and ECOWAS is found.
Mali requires a clear roadmap towards the restoration of constitutional order. Malian Civil Society is central to rebuilding the transition and democracy, and therefore, it must be properly involved in any Transition Plan the Malian authorities develop. We are concerned of the impact the conflict is having particularly on women and girls, and also of the closure of more than 1600 schools.
Second, we are deeply disturbed by the reports of human rights violation and abuses as well as violations of international humanitarian law documented by MINUSMA, presenting a 150% increase compared to the previous year. This trend has particularly risen since the presence of the Wagner Group.
Third, we echo the SG’s call that the presence of MINUSMA remains necessary as ever. As we approach the mandate renewal, we hope that this Council can reach a consensus to reflect on the current challenges facing MINUSMA and strengthen focus on the protection of civilians and promoting the peace dividends of the Algiers agreement. In this regard, we call on the Malian authorities to allow full, unrestricted, and unhindered access to MINUSMA to fully implement its mandate, also when it comes to investigations.
To conclude, we welcome the SG’s intent to conduct a thorough analysis on how MINUSMA can best continue to deliver on its priorities to facilitate stability in Mali and we anticipate his recommendations to this Council in six months.
Thank you.