Mali

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday he deeply regrets Mali’s recent decision to declare the top UN human rights representative as persona non grata.

Top UN-appointed independent rights experts on Tuesday called on the authorities in Mali to launch an immediate probe into the mass execution of civilians last year, allegedly by Government forces and the Russia-based private military contractor, the Wagner Group.

Mali mission currently unsustainable says representative.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is considering withdrawing Germany's troops from the U.N. stabilisation mission in Mali earlier than planned, since under current conditions they cannot fulfill their mandate, he told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung in comments published on Monday.

Mali’s foreign minister defended the military government’s cooperation with Russia on Friday and rejected three options proposed by the U.N. chief to reconfigure the U.N. peacekeeping force in the west African country where Al-Qaida and Islamic State extremist groups are driving insecurity.

Mali’s military rulers received more warplanes and helicopters from Russia Thursday, an AFP correspondent noted, the latest in a series of deliveries from its new top military and political ally.

The UN Secretary-General proposes three options for the reconfiguration of MINUSMA (No 65 ff): Option 1: full capacity to implement the Mission’s mandate in its entirety across all areas of its deployment; Option 2: maintaining focus on the strategic priorities with a consolidated footprint; Option 3: withdrawal of uniformed units and conversion into a special political mission.

The Council today adopted a decision extending the mandate of the EU Capacity Building Mission in Mali (EUCAP Sahel Mali) until 31 January 2025, … . In light of the volatile situation in Mali, the Council has also decided to adapt the mission’s mandate so as to take into consideration the political and security situation in the country.

[…] The security situation in Mali remains complex, particularly in the centre and the border area between Burkina Faso, Mali and the Niger.

Le sort du G5 Sahel est plus que jamais incertain. Le chef d'Etat nigérien Mohamed Bazoum, qui doit en prendre la présidence le mois prochain, ne cache pas son scepticisme sur l'utilité de cette organisation.