“The Security Council must continue to monitor the situation in Mali with extreme vigilance.”
August 28, 2023
Thank you Madam President,
I thank the Special Representative and Ms. Abouya for their briefing.
France takes note of the letter from the Secretary-General on the withdrawal of MINUSMA.
We pay tribute to the work carried out by the women and men of peace in Mali. We honor the memory of the peacekeepers who lost their lives there.
The Malian transitional authorities have committed themselves to guaranteeing the safe withdrawal of the mission, with no restrictions on its movements or imports, in full respect of Resolution 2690. It is fundamental that they respect this commitment on the ground.
I recall that the agreement on the status of the Force remains in force until the departure from Mali of the last MINUSMA element.
Secondly, I would like to express our concern about the peace agreement.
The clashes that occurred in Ber, with the participation of Wagner mercenaries, are a serious violation of the ceasefire. France calls on the parties to avoid any escalation and to resume discussions under the aegis of international mediation.
The United Nations must remain fully committed to supporting the Algiers agreement. France is in favor of the UN being given all the resources it needs to do so.
Madam President,
The Security Council must continue to monitor the situation in Mali with extreme vigilance.
We must lend our full support to the efforts of ECOWAS to ensure that the political transition is completed within the agreed timeframe, permitting the advent of democratically elected civilian authorities.
We understand the concern of the countries in the region about the withdrawal of MINUSMA, as the ECOWAS Heads of State have called for in-depth reflection on its consequences.
Last but not least, we must remain attentive to the impact of this withdrawal on the daily lives of the Malian population, on access to humanitarian assistance and on the protection of human rights.
Thank you.