The special envoy is speaking to the ambassadors at what he calls a “special moment” in efforts to promote lasting peace and security in the West African country.
“Mali is ushering in an important year in terms of returning to constitutional order,” he said, with several voting scheduled to begin in March.
Work in progress
Mr. Wane heads the UN mission in Mali, known by his French initials APART FROMwas established nearly a decade ago following insecurity in the north and a military coup.
While much has been accomplished in that time, “the goals set by the Council have not been fully achieved and the landscape has seen significant changes,” he said.
“As the Council considers the recommendation of the Secretary-General, it should be noted that stabilizing Mali is crucial not only for the country itself but also for the entire region,” he added, referring to an internal review of MINUSMA, launched last year.
Security situation ‘complicated’
The last time Mr Wane briefed the Council was in October, reporting on progress in restoring civilian rule in Mali after the military coup in August 2020, the ongoing insecurity. and growing humanitarian needs.
Since then, the security situation has remained “complicated”, especially in the center of the country and the tri-border region with Burkina Faso and Niger.
Due to the activity of extremist groups, displacement within the country remains high. In December, that number reached about 412,000 people.
Overall, 8.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, an increase of 17% since the beginning of 2022. Two million children under the age of 5 are still affected by acute malnutrition.
United Nations Photo / Loey Felipe
El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), summarizes the Security Council meeting on the situation in Mali.
Affected humanitarian activities
“The armed forces have increased their efforts to in some areas allow to reduce the number of security incidents. However, extremist groups still have the ability to carry out complex, coordinated operations,” Wane said.
Meanwhile, humanitarian workers were also fired. Last year, about 124 cases were recorded against them and five aid workers were killed in the Kayes, Ménaka and Ségou regions.
The need for additional humanitarian assistance also remains high, as the new $686 million response plan is less than 40% funded.
Compulsory protection
“Over the past quarter, MINUSMA has continued its sustained efforts to protect civilians. Mr. Wane said:
Looking ahead, he said MINUSMA has the potential to contribute more effectively to improving security.
This will depend on a number of factors, including getting the tools they need to better protect themselves, timely replacing active-duty troops, and increasing coordination with other forces. Malian security and defense force.
The UN special envoy also stressed the “absolutely important need” to respect the right to freedom of movement, in line with the Agreement on the Status of Forces.
Upcoming constitutional referendum
Speaking on transition and peace, he noted that in less than two months, Mali will hold a referendum on the constitution, marking the first in a series of referendums. exploration towards a plan to restore constitutional order by March 2024.
Authorities continued to demonstrate a commitment to holding the votes on time, as evidenced by developments such as the creation of a new independent electoral administration and the draft constitution.
However, some challenges remain, as the new election administration is required to set up local offices across the country and the ongoing constitutional review process must be finalized.
Support inclusion efforts
Mali’s transitional government has convened a series of consultations with political parties and civil society to discuss various aspects of preparations for the constitutional referendum and elections. is different.
“These initiatives must be encouraged and supported, as inclusion and consensus are critical to the overall success of the Transition,” said Mr. Wane.
He added that two other aspects are also important, namely the availability of financial and logistical resources and the “evolving of the security situation”, stressing the importance of the support of the United Nations.
Peace Agreement 2015
Mr Wane also updated the Council on the dynamics surrounding the 2015 Peace Agreement, signed by the administration and two coalitions of armed groups, following unrest in the north several years earlier.
Recent months have seen disagreements over the extent of the Government’s involvement in the committee overseeing the deal, and signing movements have suspended their participation in the peace process.
MINUSMA, Algeria and other members of the international community have promoted dialogue in the interim.
“I encourage the parties give your best effort to overcome the current difficulties and make decisive progress in the implementation of the peace agreement,” Wane said.
“The ongoing transformation presents a unique opportunity to promote agreement: an opportunity that cannot and should not be wasted.”
