Liptako-Gourma Authority

UN troops to withdraw from Mali: what will change in terms of security

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 17, 2023
United Nations Security Council, Vacuum, United Nations, Communist Party of Belgium (1989), Crime, European Union Training Mission in Mali, Policy, Hope, Research, G5, Terrorism, Death, Publication, Risk, UN, Liptako-Gourma Authority, Cypriot intercommunal violence, UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea, Arms industry, Maintenance (technical), Gum arabic, Renewable energy, Management, Drug

Two weeks earlier, Mali had called for the immediate withdrawal of the mission.

Key Points: 
  • Two weeks earlier, Mali had called for the immediate withdrawal of the mission.
  • Bamako and the UN have agreed on a six-month deadline between 1 July and 31 December for the complete withdrawal of troops.

A costly and deadly mission

    • It remains the world’s costliest and deadliest peacekeeping mission, with 174 deaths as a result of hostile acts.
    • The mission was set up in 2013 when the Malian state was on the verge of collapse after assaults by terrorist groups and Tuareg rebels.
    • In 2017, the mission added logistical support for the G5 Sahel Sahel Joint Force (G5S-JF)to its mandate.

Disagreement over security policy

    • Before the military coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, security cooperation between the Malian army and international forces was overseen by the French operation Barkhane and Minusma.
    • This crisis of confidence is part of a broader disagreement between Mali and its regional and international partners over how to secure the country and resolve the politico-military conflicts in the north.
    • Mali’s security challenges are not limited to implementing its peace and reconciliation agreement.
    • In the Liptako-Gourma border area between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, for instance, violent extremist groups continue to exploit the security vacuum linked to Barkhane’s departure.

Human rights at stake

    • However, the UN mission has a human rights division that played an important role in supervising and investigating violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
    • The state of human rights and international humanitarian law will likely deteriorate further with the end of the UN mission.

The challenges

    • Mali is home to the largest number of armed groups in the Sahel region – no fewer than 60.
    • Mali’s security challenges are complex.
    • Given its central position in the Sahel and the transnational nature of security challenges, it will be difficult to combat insecurity without Mali.

Intercommunity tensions

    • It may also impact the availability of Russian fighters and instructors that the Malian army needs to combat insecurity and restore state authority nationwide.
    • The chaos created by intercommunity tensions in the north and centre of the country has weakened the state over the past decade.
    • The vacuum left by these international forces may relaunch hostilities as the implementation of the peace and reconciliation agreement stalls.

Sahel: Council approves conclusions on the EU's integrated strategy in the region

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, April 24, 2021
Continents, Africa, Sahel, G5 Sahel, Burkina Faso, Sahel and West Africa Club, Liptako-Gourma Authority

The Council approved conclusions reaffirming the importance of a solid and long-term partnership between the EU and the Sahel, and of stepping up that partnership through an ambitious EU strategy setting the framework for its policies and actions in the region.

Key Points: 
  • The Council approved conclusions reaffirming the importance of a solid and long-term partnership between the EU and the Sahel, and of stepping up that partnership through an ambitious EU strategy setting the framework for its policies and actions in the region.
  • The EU will continue strengthening the multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core, alongside regional organisations, especially the African Union, ECOWAS and the G5 Sahel.
  • Background

    The main geographical scope of the EU strategy is the five G5 Sahel countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

  • The conclusions were adopted by the Council bywritten procedure.