The UN Security Council put an immediate end on Friday to the mission of peacekeepers in Mali, a requirement of the Malian junta which raises fears for the safety of the population in a country still plagued by jihadist attacks.
On June 16, in a speech before the Security Council which had the effect of a bomb, the Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Diop, denouncing the “failure” of the peacekeeping mission of the UN (MINUSMA), had demanded its “withdrawal without delay”.
While the “consent” of the host country is at the heart of UN peacekeeping, the Security Council, which was preparing to consider a renewal of the mandate, possibly modified, had to resolve to sign the judgment of death of the UN’s costliest mission ($1.2 billion a year).
The resolution thus puts an end to the mandate of MINUSMA “from June 30”.
The Blue Helmets will cease their operations on Saturday to focus on organizing their withdrawal, which must be completed “by December 31, 2023”.
Despite the unanimous adoption of the resolution by the 15 members, several members of the Board expressed concern about the impact of this departure, which some consider premature.
“We regret the decision of the transitional government to abandon MINUSMA and the fact that this will harm the people of Mali,” said US Representative Jeffrey DeLaurentis.
The mission, which has around ten bases spread across the territory, was created in 2013 to help stabilize a state threatened with collapse under the jihadist push, protect civilians, contribute to the peace effort and defend human rights. .
Judging its presence “invaluable”, the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, had recommended at the beginning of June that it be maintained at constant numbers, by refocusing it on limited priorities.
Several countries in the region, “particularly concerned about the expansion of extremist groups” had even pleaded for a strengthening of his mandate, he said.
On Friday, taking “note” of the vote, he “reaffirmed the solidarity of the United Nations with the Malian people and the authorities in all the hardships their country has suffered”.
“Tangible results”
The Malian ambassador to the UN, Issa Konfourou, assuring his country’s “tangible results” on the ground, regretted that “the Council continues to consider the situation in Mali as a threat to international peace and security. “.
Relations between Bamako and MINUSMA had deteriorated significantly since the military took power in 2020.
The UN thus regularly denounced the obstacles to the movement of blue helmets and had to deal with the defections of troop-contributing countries cooled by the multiplication of attacks against the mission, of which 174 blue helmets have been killed since 2013.
The junta, for its part, demanded a mission that did not deal with human rights issues, but that attacked terrorist groups.
An argument taken up by Russia, towards which the junta turned militarily and politically by moving away from France, a former colonial power.
Deputy Russian Ambassador Anna Evstigneïeva welcomed the fact that Bamako wanted to “play the leading role in stabilizing Mali”, while assuring that her country would continue to “provide full support” to the junta “bilaterally”. .
A message of “unwavering support” directly relayed by telephone by the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, to his Malian counterpart, according to Bamako.
The Wagner risk
It remains to organize the massive and complex withdrawal of more than 13,000 soldiers and police and their equipment.
The withdrawal schedule has given rise to complicated negotiations in recent days.
Mali has tried to reduce the transition, according to diplomatic sources, while some members of the Council already believe that the six-month period is too short to organize a safe departure for the peacekeepers.
And the UN fears that when the Blue Helmets “leave their bases, Wagner will simply take control of the installations,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
After the failed rebellion of Wagner leader Evgeny Prigojine on June 24, Moscow assured that the private Russian mercenary company would continue to operate in Mali, where it is regularly accused of human rights violations.
“We do not believe that the partnership with the Wagner Group can provide long-term stability or security to the people of Mali,” warned British Ambassador Barbara Woodward.