Mali

With its new constitution, Mali has dropped French, which has been the country’s official language since 1960.

[…] UN transitions are always complex undertakings, but the difficulties inherent in the liquidation and reconfiguration of the UN presence in Mali will only be exacerbated given both the lack of preparation time and because of the tension with the host government.

Now that the United Nations (UN) Security Council has voted to end MINUSMA’s mandate and withdraw the mission within six months, civilians in Mali are at even greater risk of harm from violence. Despite its challenges, MINUSMA has played an important role in the protection of civilians (POC) in Mali.

The United Kingdom on Thursday announced sanctions of 13 individuals and businesses in the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali and Sudan with links to Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, including one it described as the “right-hand man” of the group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.

[…] The full consequences of MINUSMA’s rapid withdrawal remain to be seen, but some takeaways from the Mali case can already be drawn out.

[…] In planning the MINUSMA exit over the next six months, there is a risk that the UN will become overly focused on the technical aspects of withdrawal, expending enormous energy and resources on the complicated logistics of moving a billion-dollar operation out. This would be a mistake. Instead, the UN should create a new strategic moment to influence Mali’s trajectory positively, treating the exit as a leverage point. 

The Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the complete withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces in Mali, although it will take six months for the final “blue helmets” to depart.+

This report investigates the creation and application of the Mobile Task Force (MTF) within MINUSMA, the UN's peace operation in Mali. Thereby, the study aims to increase the understanding of rationales and conditions for mobility in peace operations with a high threat level and robust mandates.

On 16 June, Bamako asked the UN Security Council to withdraw the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts Jean-Hervé Jézéquel and Ibrahim Maïga look at the reasons behind the Malian authorities’ decision as well as its consequences.

Mali’s constitution was revised in a referendum on Friday, with an overwhelming 97 percent of voters supporting the changes. This marks a significant stride towards the ruling junta’s objective of reinstating civilian rule. The amended constitution grants more power to the president, fueling speculation about Colonel Assimi Goita, the junta’s leader, potentially running for president.