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According to a draft UN report obtained by AFP, a UN peacekeeping operation in Mali would be “infeasible” without increasing the number of peacekeepers, and that the withdrawal of troops would not be possible if key conditions are not met. It mentions possibilities.
MINUSMA was established in 2013 to stabilize a nation on the brink of collapse under jihadist pressure, protect civilians, contribute to peace efforts, and uphold human rights. .. But the security situation continues to deteriorate.
“MINUSMA is a peacekeeping operation to keep the peace,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres summed up in this document given to members of the Security Council, which should soon be made public. .
With an extension of its 2019 mission, particularly in the heart of the country affected by violence, the mission is now deprived of foreign activity, particularly support from France, which it withdrew last August, “doing its best”. But, he points out, “the limits have been crossed.”
Certain circumstances have placed MINUSMA in a “delicate situation”, “failed to meet the expectations of Malian residents and certain local stakeholders” and “constant criticism”.
A report requested by the Security Council in June, when the mandate was renewed for one year, considered that “the current situation is not viable” and proposed three sets of options to improve it. I’m here.
The first is to increase the military and police personnel by 3,680, or 2,000 in a more modest version, giving them the means to fully carry out their duties.
In mid-December, the mission had 12,388 soldiers (versus 13,289 authorized by mandate) and 1,598 police officers (1,920 authorized).
However, this first option requires “all parameters” to be met. Among these conditions, the Secretary-General announced a political transition to provide freedom of movement for peacekeepers after his two military coups for the return of civilians to power in March 2024. Cite progress, the United Nations, Mali authorities.
Increasing numbers also raises the problem of finding troops, as several contributors have announced withdrawals from MINUSMA, which has suffered 165 deaths since 2013 (a total of 2,250 peacekeepers). .
Opposite options, “if key parameters to enable the mission to operate under its current mandate are not met,” the Secretary-General said, “withdrawal of uniformed forces” and “special political missions” evoke a transformation to Existence of only Bamako.
Between the two extremes, the report suggests maintaining the number of Blue Helmets, but changing the mandate through the closure of certain camps or a reduction in their presence in the heart of the country.
If Antonio Guterres does not recommend any of the three options presented to the Security Council, he will stress that “the purpose of the UN’s presence in Mali is just as important as it was ten years ago”. , “because of the immense need to protect countless civilians, the requirements of the ongoing political transition, and central to Mali’s trajectory in stabilizing the Sahel.”
The Secretary-General called on all efforts to prevent another cycle of political instability and further deterioration of the security, humanitarian and human rights situation.
He also argued for the fact that most of the Member States and other partners with whom he consulted “withdrawal would be detrimental to the security of Mali and the region” and the “existential risks posed by terrorist groups outside West Africa”. ” is emphasized.
But others are concerned about the human and financial costs of the $1.2 billion annual mission.
“Mali is one of the most challenging operating environments for peacekeeping operations,” the report summarizes, citing the vast area of operations, the state of infrastructure, and the “prevalence” of the various groups operating in the region. emphasizes the threat of region.
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