Mali
June 2022
On 13 June, the Security Council held its quarterly briefing on Mali, followed by closed consultations. Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) El-Ghassim Wane briefed, as did civil society representative Sadya Touré, Director of Mali Muso (S/PV.9061). Wane presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali (S/2022/446), which recommended a one-year extension of MINUSMA’s mandate. He also referred to the Secretary-General’s decision to undertake a review of the situation in Mali and present recommendations to the Council within six months on how the mission can best continue to fulfil its priorities, as outlined in his report on Mali. During the session, members also considered the Secretary-General’s bi-annual letter (S/2022/448) on the mission’s challenges, performance and transition planning. On 7 June, Council members held a meeting with troop-contributing countries to MINUSMA.
On 29 June, the Council adopted resolution 2640, extending the mandate of MINUSMA until 30 June 2023. Thirteen Council members voted in favour, while China and Russia abstained. Earlier in the month, Council members issued a press statement on 1 June condemning an attack that day that killed one Jordanian peacekeeper and wounded three others in Kidal. On 3 June, Council members issued another press statement condemning an attack that day that killed two Egyptian peacekeepers and injured one near Douentza. Council members also issued a press statement on 20 June, condemning a 19 June attack on MINUSMA that killed one Guinean peacekeeper near Kidal.
April 2022
On 7 April, the Security Council held a briefing on Mali (S/PV.9012), followed by closed consultations. The head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim Wane, briefed, presenting the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali (S/2022/278). Bouaré Bintou Founé Samaké, the President of Women in Law and Development in Africa in Mali, also briefed. Council members were unable to agree on a press statement proposed by France the following day that apparently would have requested an independent investigation into the alleged killing of hundreds of civilians and suspected jihadists in the central Mali village of Mourah at the end of March.
January 2022
On 11 January, the Security Council held a briefing (S/PV.8945), followed by consultations, on the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on Mali (S/2021/1117) and biannual letter (S/2022/8) on the operations, performance and implementation of the integrated strategic framework for Mali of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Special Representative and head of MINUSMA El-Ghassim Wane and Executive Director Adam Dicko of the Youth Association for Active Citizenship and Democracy briefed. Council members were unable to agree to press elements due to objections from China and Russia, prompting joint press remarks by the A3 (Gabon, Ghana and Kenya) reaffirming their support for the decisions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including its imposition of sanctions on the military authorities in Mali, and its encouragement of the transitional authorities in Mali to fulfil ECOWAS’ conditions for the gradual removal of the sanctions by immediately developing an acceptable calendar for elections.
October 2021
From 23 to 25 October, the Security Council conducted a visiting mission to Mali and Niger. In Mali, the Council focused on assessing the country’s political transition and the preparations for next year’s elections. It also discussed with interlocutors the implementation of Mali’s 2015 peace and reconciliation agreement and efforts to stabilise central Mali. Much of the focus of the Niger visit was on the Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force (FC-G5S), including options that the Secretary-General outlined in a 4 October letter to strengthen support for the joint force (S/2021/850).
On 29 October, the Council held its quarterly briefing and consultations on Mali. The Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), El-Ghassim Wane briefed. France, Kenya and Niger, which co-led the visiting mission, briefed on the Council’s visit.
November 2021
On 4 November, Council members issued a press statement on their October visiting mission to Mali and Niger. In the statement, Council members noted that in Mali they had “reiterated their strong support for the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union…[and] encouraged the continuation of dialogue between Mali and ECOWAS.” (SC/14687)
August 2021
On 30 August, the Security Council adopted resolution 2590, renewing the Mali sanctions measures—an assets freeze and travel ban—until 31 August 2022, and the mandate of the Mali Panel of Experts until 30 September 2022.
June 2021
On 14 June, the Council held its quarterly briefing (S/PV.8794), followed by consultations, on Mali. The Council heard briefings from Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) El-Ghassim Wane, and the president of the Coalition des Femmes Leaders Nord, Sud et Centre du Mali (NSC) Fatima Maiga.
On 29 June, the Council renewed the mandate of MINUSMA for one year through resolution 2584. The resolution requests two Secretary-General’s reports that could set in motion initiatives to increase MINUSMA’s troop ceiling and to establish a UN office to support the G5 Sahel Joint Force (FC-G5S). In the first case, it requests a Secretary-General’s report by 15 July with recommendations on force levels and MINUSMA uniformed personnel, in light of the growing level of insecurity and physical violence against civilians in central Mali. A second Secretary-General’s report is requested by 30 September to include detailed and operational options to support the FC-G5S, including through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms and organisations other than through MINUSMA.
April 2021
On 6 April, Security Council members held their quarterly briefing and consultations on Mali via video teleconference (VTC) to consider the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali (S/2021/299) and the Secretary-General’s letter on a long-term roadmap setting out conditions necessary for an eventual exit strategy of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (S/2021/300). Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed at the meeting.
January 2021
On 13 January, Security Council members held a VTC briefing on Mali (S/2021/47) with the Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), Mahamat Saleh Annadif. Annadif presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali dated 28 December 2020 (S/2020/1281). In addition to the report, members considered the Secretary-General’s bi-annual letter on MINUSMA operations, including security challenges, implementation of the mission’s adaptation plan, mission performance, and transition planning (S/2020/1282). Closed VTC consultations followed the public session.
On 14 January, Security Council members issued a press statement that condemned in the strongest terms the attack perpetrated on 13 January 2021 against MINUSMA north of the town of Bambara-Maoudé, in the Timbuktu region, which resulted in four peacekeepers from Côte d’Ivoire killed and five others injured (SC/14411). In an 18 January press statement, Council members also condemned in the strongest terms the 15 January attack near Tessalit in the Kidal region, which resulted in the death of one peacekeeper from Egypt, and seriously injured another (SC/14414).
December 2020
On 17 November, Ambassador José Singer Weisinger (Dominican Republic) briefed the Council in his capacity as chair of the Mali 2374 Sanctions Committee (S/PV.8777). The briefing was held in accordance with resolution 2374, which requests that the chair brief at least once a year on the overall work of the committee.
October 2020
On 8 October, the Council held its quarterly briefing on Mali with Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Special Representative and head of MINUSMA (S/PV.8765). On 15 October, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2020/10), welcoming the new transitional arrangements in Mali following the 18 August coup d’état, and outlining expectations of the way forward (S/PV.8769). The Council underlined that the transition should lead to constitutional order and elections in Mali within 18 months; reiterated the strategic importance of the full, effective and inclusive implementation of the 2015 peace agreement; and called on the Malian authorities to take expedited action to protect civilians, reduce intercommunal violence and restore peaceful relations between communities in central Mali. A Council press statement on 16 October condemned in the strongest terms the 15 October attack against MINUSMA in Kidal region through an explosive device, which killed one peacekeeper from Egypt and seriously injured one other, as well as the attack against a MINUSMA integrated camp in Timbuktu, which injured at least one peacekeeper from Burkina Faso (SC/14330).
September 2020
On 19 August, Security Council members held a closed VTC on developments in Mali, where the day before soldiers had arrested President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other government officials. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed. Ahead of the meeting, Council members issued a press statement condemning “the mutiny” and urged the mutineers to release safely and immediately all the officials detained (SC/14279). The press statement underlined the urgent need to restore rule of law and to move towards the return to constitutional order, and reiterated Council members’ strong support for the Economic Community of West African States’ initiatives and mediation efforts. On 31 August, the Council renewed for one year the Mali sanctions regime in resolution 2541. Earlier in the month, the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee met on 5 August to discuss the Mali Panel of Experts final report (S/2020/785).
June 2020
On 11 June, Council members held a ministerial-level VTC on Mali (S/2020/541). SecretaryGeneral António Guterres briefed on his quarterly report on Mali (S/2020/476) and a biannual letter outlining security challenges, MINUSMA performance, and transition planning (S/2020/481). Pierre Buyoya, AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, also briefed. On 14 June, members issued a press statement condemning an attack the day before on a MINSUMA convoy that killed two peacekeepers from Egypt (SC/14213). On 29 June, in resolution 2531, the Council renewed the mandate of MINUSMA for one year until 30 June 2021.
April 2020
On 7 April, Council members convened an informal open VTC meeting, followed by a closed VTC meeting, on the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali and MINUSMA. Special Representative and head of MINUSMA Mahamat Saleh Annadif briefed, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali, Tiébilé Dramé, also addressed members during the open session. In press elements, members called on the government and the UN to continue working together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and for MINUSMA to continue delivering on its mandate despite the pandemic while ensuring the safety and security of its staff and peacekeepers. Members welcomed progress implementing the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, underlined that more progress was needed, and reiterated their call on member states to provide necessary capabilities for the MINUSMA adaptation and the need for relevant General Assembly bodies to examine the plan’s financial implications.
February 2020
On 12 February, the Mali 2374 Sanctions Committee held informal consultations to discuss the mid-term report of the Mali Panel of Experts. Following this discussion, the committee held a meeting with regional states.
January 2020
On 15 January, the Council held a briefing, followed by consultations, on Mali. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali and MINUSMA and a Secretary-General’s letter on security challenges, MINUSMA’s performance, and transition planning. On 17 January, Council members issued a press statement, noting some progress in the implementation of the 2015 Mali Peace and Reconciliation Agreement but expressing serious concern about the delays in the implementation of many of its substantive provisions. Among other points, members welcomed the Secretary-General’s plan, reflected in his report, to adapt MINUSMA by increasing its protected mobility, agility and flexibility.
October 2019
On 8 October, the Council received a briefing via video teleconference from Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of MINUSMA, who presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali. Ambassador José Singer (Dominican Republic), as chair of the Mali 2374 Sanctions Committee, briefed on the work of the committee. Consultations followed the public session. The next day, Council members issued a press statement on the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and the overall security situation.
August 2019
On 29 August, the Security Council adopted a resolution renewing the sanctions regime on Mali and the mandate of the Panel of Experts. The sanctions measures (travel ban and asset freeze) target individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali.
June 2019
On 12 June, the Council was briefed on developments in Mali by Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSMA (S/PV.8547). The Malian Foreign Minister, Tiébilé Dramé, participated in the meeting, at which the 31 May report of the Secretary-General was presented (S/2019/454). On 28 June, the Council renewed the mandate of MINUSCA until 30 June 2020.
April 2019
On 22 April, Council members condemned the attack perpetrated on 20 April against a convoy of MINUSMA between Douentza and Boni (region of Mopti), which resulted in one peacekeeper from Egypt killed and four others injured.
March 2019
On 20 March, the Security Council held an informal interactive dialogue (IID) with the PBC on the Sahel. Germany, as the informal coordinator between the Council and the PBC, organised the meeting in preparation for the Council’s visiting mission to Mali and Burkina Faso later in the month. The Chair of the PBC, Ambassador Guillermo Fernández de Soto (Colombia) and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Oscar Fernández-Taranco provided briefings. Côte d’Ivoire, France and Germany co-led a visiting mission to Mali and Burkina Faso from 21 to 25 March. The focus of the mission was to assess the implementation of the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali, the operationalisation of the joint force of the G5 Sahel and the deterioration of the security situation in Burkina Faso. Upon returning to New York, on 27 March, the co-leads briefed the Council on the mission and on 29 March the Council held a ministerial meeting on Mali chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, featuring a briefing by Secretary-General António Guterres and with the participation of Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga. Separately, on 28 March there was a high-level meeting on the G5 Sahel at UN headquarters in New York.
January 2019
On 16 January, the Council was briefed on the situation in Mali by Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Bintou Keita. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali, Kamissa Camara, participated in the meeting. The basis for the discussion was the latest report of the Secretary-General. After the meeting, Council members issued a press statement expressing “a significant sense of impatience with parties over the persistent delays in the full implementation of key provisions of the agreement”. On 20 January, Council members condemned an attack against the MINUSMA camp in Aguelhok, which resulted in 10 peacekeepers from Chad killed and several others injured, in spite of the robust response from MINUSMA. On 25 January, Council members condemned the attack perpetrated earlier that day against a MINUSMA convoy near Douentza (region of Mopti), which resulted in two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka killed and several others injured.
November 2018
From 11-16 November, the Military Staff Committee conducted a field trip to Mali. On 21 November, the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee held a meeting.
October 2018
On 19 October, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed the Council on a 25 September report of the Secretary-General on Mali and the work of MINUSMA. Following the meeting, Council members issued a press statement commending the 15 October signing of a pact for peace between the government of Mali and the UN. On 27 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning the attacks that same day against a convoy of MINUSMA near the town of Konna, which resulted in two peacekeepers from Burkina Faso killed and several from Burkina Faso and Togo injured.
August 2018
On 24 August, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the publication of the final results of the presidential elections in Mali. The Council adopted resolution 2432 renewing the targeted sanctions regime on Mali—travel ban and assets freeze—and the mandate of the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee’s Panel of Experts.
June 2018
On 14 June, the Council was briefed on the situation in Mali by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. Mali’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Tiéman Hubert Coulibaly, participated in the meeting. The discussion was based on a 6 June Secretary-General’s report, which was on developments in the country, the upcoming presidential elections, and the renewal of the mandate of MINUSMA. On 28 June the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2423 renewing the mandate for one year.
April 2018
On 5 April, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack against a MINUSMA camp in Aguelhok, which caused the death of two Chadian peacekeepers and injured ten others. The next day, Council members condemned an attack against a MINUSMA vehicle in Gao which caused the death of a Nigerien peacekeeper. On 11 April, the Council was briefed by Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of MINUSMA, who presented the 29 March report of the Secretary-General on Mali. The Foreign Minister of Mali, Tiéman Hubert Coulibaly, also participated at the meeting. On 15 April, Council members condemned an attack on a MINUSMA camp in Timbuktu the day before, which caused the death of a Burkinabe peacekeeper and injured others, including Malian civilians, MINUSMA personnel, and members of the French forces. On 18 April, Council members met in consultations, at the request of France, to be briefed on the latest attacks against the mission.
February 2018
On 5 February, the 2374 Mali Sanctions Committee held its first meeting at which four members of the Panel of Experts were introduced. Although the committee was established in September 2017, it took Council members four months to negotiate its guidelines.
January 2018
On 23 January, the Council was briefed by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, who presented the 26 December 2017 report of the Secretary-General on Mali. The Foreign Minister of Mali, Tiéman Hubert Coulibaly, also participated in the meeting. On 24 January, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the renewed commitment of the government of Mali and the coalitions of armed groups to the expeditious implementation of all of their remaining obligations under the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali by the end of March 2018.
October 2017
On 5 October, the Council held a briefing and consultations on Mali. The Council was briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of MINUSMA Mahamat Saleh Annadif based on the 28 September Secretary-General’s report. Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop of Mali also spoke at the meeting. The need to prevent the gains achieved in Mali from being reversed featured prominently at the meeting. In a 6 October press statement, Council members expressed their deep concern over the persistent delays in the full implementation of key provisions of the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and urged the parties to adopt without delay an agreed-upon chronogram (timeline) for its implementation.
On 18-23 October, Council members undertook a visiting mission to the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali and Mauritania). The objective of the mission was to assess the situation of the countries of the G5 Sahel, in particular regarding the level and the nature of the threat posed by terrorism and transnational organised crime, as well as to assess the status of the operationalisation of the G5 Sahel joint force. Furthermore, the visiting mission aimed to deliver a clear message to the parties in Mali regarding the need to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement.
On 30 October, the Council was briefed by Secretary-General António Guterres and discussed a 16 October report on the activities of the joint force, including the challenges encountered in its operationalisation and possible measures for consideration. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, and the Foreign Minister of MaliAbdulaye Diop, as rotating President of the G5 Sahel, addressed the Council as well. The other members of the G5 Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania and Niger)also participated in the meeting. The discussion was chaired by Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
August 2017
On 14 August, Council members condemned the terrorist attack against the MINUSMA camps in Douentza, Mali, which caused the death of one Togolese peacekeeper and injured another.
June 2017
On 16 June, the Council was briefed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSMA Mahamat Saleh Annadif based on the 6 June Secretary-General’s report. On 29 June, the Council adopted resolution 2364 renewing MINUSMA’s mandate for an additional year.
April 2017
On 6 April, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed the Council on the situation in Mali. Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop of Mali also spoke at the meeting. Lacroix discussed challenges to the implementation of the 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation outlined in the Secretary-General’s 30 March report.
January 2017
On 18 January, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the Council on the situation in Mali. Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop of Mali and Ambassador Sabri Boukadoum (Algeria) also spoke. During consultations following the meeting, Council members were briefed by Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSMA, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, and discussed challenges to the implementation of the 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation outlined in the Secretary-General’s 30 December 2016 report. In a subsequent press statement, they condemned the attack—claimed by terrorist group Al-Mourabitoun—against the camp of the Operational Coordination Mechanism in Gao which caused the deaths of dozens of persons. On 24 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning the attack against a MINUSMA camp in Aguelhoc that caused the death of a Chadian peacekeeper.
November 2016
On 3 November, the Council adopted a presidential statement that strongly condemned repeated ceasefire violations in Mali over the last few months and urged the parties to expeditiously carry out all their commitments under the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation. On 7 November, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack on a complex near Douentza, in the centre of Mali, during which two Malian civilians and one Togolese MINUSMA peacekeeper were killed.
October 2016
On 4 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning the multiple terrorist attacks against MINUSMA, during which two peacekeepers from Chad were killed and others injured. On 6 October, the Council was briefed on the absence of concrete progress in implementing the peace agreement and the deteriorating security environment in Mali by the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous, who also briefed on the latest MINUSMA report. Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, stressed how MINUSMA is missing key capabilities needed to operate safely and effectively in the current environment.
August 2016
On 8 August, Council members condemned the terrorist attacks that occurred between 5 and 7 August against MINUSMA in the northern region of Kidal, killing one peacekeeper and injuring another six.
June 2016
On 1 June, Council members issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack against a MINUSMA camp in Gao during which a peacekeeper from China was killed (SC/12384). On 16 June, Special Representative Mahamat Saleh Annadif briefed the Council (S/PV.7719) on the Secretary-General’s latest MINUSMA report (S/2016/498). The meeting was followed by an informal interactive dialogue of Council members with Malian Prime Minister Modibo Keita. On 29 June, the Council adopted resolution 2295 renewing MINUSMA’s mandate for a year.
April 2016
On 5 April, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the Council on the latest MINUSMA report. Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop briefed as well.
February 2016
On 12 February, Council members issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack against MINUSMA that killed seven peacekeepers from Guinea.
January 2016
On 11 January, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed the Council on the latest MINUSMA report. On 12 January, Council members issued a press statement urging the government of Mali, the Platform and Coordination armed groups to prioritise the implementation of key provisions of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali in order to bring concrete peace dividends to the populations of Mali.
October 2015
On 6 October, Special Representative and head of MINUSMA, Mongi Hamdi, briefed the Council on the latest MINUSMA report.
August 2015
Attacks on 7 and 8 August in the Byblos hotel in Sévaré in central Mali resulted in 13 deaths, including four employees of a MINUSMA contractor, and left several injured. Despite the threat to impose sanctions, the first major ceasefire violations occurred in mid-August when the Groupe Autodéfense Touareg Imghad et Alliés (GATIA)—a member of the Platform coalition of armed groups closely aligned with the government—established new forward positions in areas of the Kidal region which under the ceasefire arrangements were under the control of the Coordination coalition of armed groups. This resulted in deadly clashes with Coordination forces and GATIA’s takeover of the town of Anéfis. At the request of France, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous briefed Council members on 19 August under “any other business” on the ceasefire violations, describing the deployment of a joint observation and verification team to the north and the establishment of a security zone by MINUSMA around Kidal to prevent further ceasefire violations. In elements to the press issued after the meeting, Council members underscored their preparedness to adopt targeted sanctions against those who violate the ceasefire or threaten the implementation of the peace agreement.
July 2015
On 2 July, Council members condemned the terrorist attack against a MINUSMA convoy in the region of Timbuktu, which killed six Burkinabe peacekeepers (SC/11959).
June 2015
On 18 June, Council members issued a press statement reiterating their support for the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and looking forward to its signing by the Coordination armed groups. On 23 June, the Council was briefed by Special Representative Mongi Hamdi on the Secretary-General’s MINUSMA report and the 20 June signing of the peace agreement by the Coordination, thereby completing the signing process. The Foreign Minister of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, also participated in the meeting. On 29 June, the Council adopted resolution 2227 renewing MINUSMA.
May 2015
On 1 May, Council members issued a press statement condemning the violations of the ceasefire in northern Mali. Briefing Council members under “any other business” on 7 May, peacekeeping head Hervé Ladsous presented the conditions for the Secretariat to support a partial signature of the peace agreement: the agreement had to remain open to subsequent signatures of remaining parties, dialogue with them must continue, the ceasefire must be respected and implementation of the main provisions by the signatories must begin as soon as possible. On 28 May, Ladsous briefed again under “any other business” to update Council members on his visit to Mali to attend the 15 May signing of the partial peace agreement. On 29 may, Council members issued a press statement deploring the shooting incident during which a Bangladeshi peacekeeper was killed and reiterating the Council’s full support to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali.
April 2015
On 2 April, Council members were briefed under “any other business” by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous on the results of an inquiry launched by the Secretary-General into the killing of three civilians by MINUSMA forces during a demonstration against the mission in Gao on 27 January. The inquiry team concluded that Rwandan members of a formed police unit had used unauthorised and excessive force on civilians, resulting in the death by gunfire of three protesters and the wounding of four others. On 9 April, Ladsous briefed the Council on the MINUSMA report and on conversations in Algiers between the Algeria-led mediation team and the coalition of armed groups known as the Coordination. The Foreign Minister of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, who also briefed, asked the Council to consider targeted sanctions against those who impede the Algiers peace process. On 10 April, Council members issued a press statement welcoming the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation initialled by representatives of the Malian government and one of the coalitions of armed groups (SC/11855).
March 2015
On 1 March, the government and a coalition of armed groups considered to be more closely aligned with the government—the Platform—initialled a peace agreement in Algiers. The other coalition of armed groups—the Coordination—requested more time to consult with its constituency before initialling the document. MINUSMA’s head Mongi Hamdi briefed Council members on these developments via video teleconference under “any other business” on 4 March. Council members subsequently agreed on elements to the press encouraging the Coordination to initial the agreement but at press time the Coordination had not signed the document. On 7 March Council members condemned a terrorist attack in which a masked individual opened fire in a restaurant in Bamako, killing five people and wounding seven others and on 8 March, Council members condemned a coordinated attack against a MINUSMA camp in Kidal which resulted in the death of two children and a Chadian peacekeeper (SC/11812). On 17 March, Council members expressed regret at the death of two Dutch MINUSMA peacekeepers in a helicopter accident.
February 2015
On 6 February, the Council adopted a presidential statement ahead of the start of the fifth round of the inter-Malian negotiation process in Algiers scheduled for 8 February. The statement expressed the pressing need to reach a comprehensive and inclusive peace agreement that addresses the root causes of the crisis in Mali. It underlines the need for the government of Mali and the armed groups that are party to the June 2013 Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement to engage with sustained political will, a spirit of compromise and in good faith through senior and fully empowered representatives in the inter-Malian negotiation process in Algiers.
January 2015
On 6 January, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous presented the MINUSMA report (S/2014/943) and reported that there had only been modest progress in the peace process since October 2014 (S/PV.7355). On 17 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning the coordinated attacks against MINUSMA, where one Chadian peacekeeper was killed and others were injured (SC/11739).
November 2014
On 10 November, Council members participated in an informal interactive dialogue with Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Ameerah Haq and the Deputy Military Adviser Major General Adrian Foster on the situation in Mali. The discussion focused on the relevance of the current mandate of MINUSMA in the current context of increasing asymmetrical threats.
October 2014
On 3 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack on MINUSMA in which nine Nigerien peacekeepers were killed (SC/11587) and on 7 October, another press statement condemned an attack in Kidal which killed one Senegalese peacekeeper (SC/11591). On 8 October, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous presented the Mali report (S/2014/692) and reported that MINUSMA is no longer operating in a peacekeeping environment. The Foreign Minister of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, also addressed the Council during the public session (S/PV.7274). On 17 October, the Council welcomed the scheduled resumption on 19 October of the inter-Malian negotiation process in Algiers (SC/11604).
September 2014
On 2 September, the Council issued a press statement condemning the attack in which four Chadian MINUSMA peacekeepers were killed (SC/11547). On 6 September, a press statement was issued welcoming the release of two Algerian diplomats who were taken hostage by the Mouvement pour l’Unicité et le Jihad en Afrique de l’Ouest, condemning the assassination of another Algerian diplomat and regretting the death of the Algerian consul while in captivity (SC/11551). On 14 September, a press statement was issued condemning the attack in which one Chadian MINUSMA peacekeeper was killed and four were injured (SC/11558) and on 19 September, condemning the attack in which five Chadian MINUSMA peacekeepers were killed and three were severely injured (SC/11568).
August 2014
On 18 August, Councilmembers condemned a suicide attack in Ber which killed two Burkinabe MINUSMA peacekeepers and injured seven.
July 2014
On 28 July, the Council adopted a presidential statement welcoming the commencement on 16 July of the inter-Malian negotiation process in Algiers which led to the consensual adoption of a roadmap (Feuille de route des négociations dans le cadre du processus d’Alger) by the parties. On 1 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning a 30 June improvised explosive device explosion, which killed a MINUSMA peacekeeper and injured six other peacekeepers.
June 2014
On 11 June, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack on MINUSMA in which four Chadian peacekeepers were killed (SC/11438). Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous briefed the Council on 18 June, presenting the MINUSMA report (S/2014/403). The Foreign Minister of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, also addressed the Council during the public session (S/PV.7202). Special Representative Albert Gerard Koenders briefed during the following consultations. On 25 June, the Council adopted resolution 2164 that established benchmarks for MINUSMA, renewed the mission for a year and granted Koenders greater political authority.
May 2014
On 20 May, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of MINUSMA Albert Gerard Koenders briefed the Council on the violence in Kidal (S/PV.7179). During the briefing, Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop requested a more robust mandate for MINUSMA and for it to include the disarmament of armed groups. The Council issued a press statement that day, condemning the violent clashes in Kidal and called on all parties to act with restraint and refrain from any further violence that could threaten civilians (SC/11406).
April 2014
On 23 April, the Council was briefed by the head of MINUSMA, Special Representative Albert Gerard Koenders, who presented the Secretary-General’s most report. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, African Integration and International Cooperation of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, also participated. After meeting in consultations, Council members issued a press statement expressing concern over the lack of progress on the peace talks.
February 2014
From 31 January to 3 February, Council members took part in a visiting mission to Mali (Bamako and Mopti) led by Chad and France (S/2014/72). The mission was undertaken to reiterate the Council’s urgent call for an inclusive and credible negotiation process open to all communities of the north, as well as emphasising the Council’s full support of the good offices of the Special Representative for Mali. On 26 February, the Council was briefed by the co-leads of the visiting mission.
January 2014
A presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/2) adopted on 23 January highlighted the Council’s call to swiftly and fully implement the provisions of the 18 June 2013 Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement, including “the cantonment of armed groups, the re-establishment of state administration throughout the country and the urgent launching of inclusive and credible peace talks” (S/PV.7099).
December 2013
On 10 December, DPKO updated Council members in consultations on the challenges MINUSMA has faced in reaching its full operational capacity. Following a 12 December briefing by Special Envoy Romano Prodi on the Sahel strategy, the Council adopted a presidential statement addressing the complex security and political challenges in this region. On 14 December, the Council issued a press statement condemning the attacks on MINUSMA which resulted in the death of Senegalese peacekeepers.
November 2013
On 2 November, the Council issued a press statement on the two French journalists killed in Kidal. Council members recalled how journalists are considered civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law and shall be respected and protected as such. They also called on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.
October 2013
On 16 October, the Council was briefed by Albert Gerard Koenders, the Special Representative and head of MINUSMA, followed by consultations. Koenders presented the latest report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Mali highlighting the challenges MINUSMA is facing to reach its full operational capacity and how recent terrorist attacks were “an important wake-up call” over security. On 23 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning the attack against MINUSMA in Tessalit.
August 2013
On 16 August, Council members adopted a press statement taking note of the provisional results of the presidential runoff elections in Mali, which declared Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta the elected President of Mali. Council members commended the Malian people for their peaceful participation in the electoral process as well as the transitional authorities for the successful preparation, organisation and management of the elections. Council members also called for the swift holding of free, fair, transparent, and inclusive legislative elections and reiterated the call for inclusive and credible peace talks open to all communities of the north of Mali in the timeframe set out by the Ouagadougou Agreement of 18 June 2013.
June 2013
On 19 June, Council members welcomed the “Preliminary Agreement to the Presidential Election and Inclusive Peace Talks in Mali” in a press statement. On 25 June the Council was briefed by Special Representative Albert Koenders (who assumed responsibilities as head of MINUSMA in Barnako on 4 June) as well as Hervé Ladsous and Ameerah Haq, respectively the heads of peacekeeping and field support. Following this briefing, Council members decided that the transfer of authority from AFISMA to MINUSMA would proceed on 1 July.
May 2013
On 13 May, the Secretary-General informed the Council of his intention to appoint Albert Koenders his new Special Representative and head of MINUSMA.
April 2013
On 3 April Council members discussed in consultations the options for a UN mission in Mali. On 25 April the Council adopted resolution 2100 after three rounds of negotiations, establishing the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to take over from the African-led International Support Mission in Mali. The resolution authorised a force structure of 11,200 military personnel and 1,440 police personnel.
March 2013
In a 7 March letter, the AU Peace and Security Council communicated its desire for the new UN operation to have a peace enforcement mandate. On 10 March, the UN sent an exploratory mission to Mali, headed by Edmond Mulet, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, to explore options for a UN mission. On 18 March, Council members were briefed in consultations by OCHA head, Valerie Amos, who stressed that impartiality of humanitarian work and protection of civilians must be a top priority in the UN involvement in Mali. On 27 March, Council members were briefed in consultations by Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the Secretary-General’s report which included two options for a UN mission in Mali. The first one envisaged strengthening the current multidimensional presence in Bamako and transforming it into an integrated political presence with a better-resourced AFISMA. AFISMA would transition to a UN stabilisation mission once certain critical benchmarks were met. The second option proposed an integrated stabilisation mission with a military strength of 11,200 under Chapter VII alongside a parallel force to conduct counterterrorism operations beyond the scope of the UN’s mandate. On 29 March, the interim Foreign Minister of Mali, Tiéman Coulibaly, noted a preference for the second option in a letter to the Secretary-General. Along the same lines, Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo, President of ECOWAS, had asked in a 26 March letter to the Secretary-General that AFISMA be transformed into a robust UN stabilisation mission working alongside a parallel force with the capacity to “dislodge any regrouped terrorists or insurgents”.
February 2013
On 5 February in Brussels, the Support and Follow-up Group on the Situation in Mali held its third meeting with high-level representatives from the EU, AU, UN and ECOWAS. On 6 February, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tayé-Brook Zerihoun briefed Council members in consultations on political developments on the ground and the progress in setting up a UN office in Bamako. France provided an update on Opération Serval and there were some initial discussions about the idea of a future UN peacekeeping mission in Mali. On 27 February, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman briefed Council members in consultations, reportedly regarding the 12 February request from Mali’s interim President Dioncounda Traoré regarding the rapid deployment of AFISMA to restore state authority and sovereignty prior to AFISMA’s possible transformation into a UN stabilisation and peacekeeping operation. Mali’s request was supported by a 28 February ECOWAS communiqué.
January 2013
On 10 January, Council members met in consultations to discuss a request by Mali’s interim government for French assistance and issued a press statement condemning the movements and attacks by terrorist and extremist groups in northern Mali as constituting a threat to international peace and security. On 11 January, France launched Opération Serval attacking the rebels’ positions. On 14 and 22 January, Feltman provided the Council with detailed updates on the latest developments in Mali, including the Secretary-General’s 20 January letter detailing funding and logistical support options for AFISMA. On 25 January, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in West Africa, Said Djinnit, briefed the Council on developments in West Africa, focusing on Mali. The overall terrorism threat in the region has heightened, Djinnit said, adding that refugee flows from Mali as a humanitarian as well as a potential security issue. Seperately, On 18 January, Council members issued a press statement condemning a deadly hostage situation at the In Amenas natural gas facility in Algeria, which began on 16 January (SC/10887). Terrorists claiming to be affiliated to the Islamist militants operating in northern Mali occupied the facility and held hundreds of people hostage. About 37 hostages were killed before and during an assault on the facility by Algerian forces in an attempt to free them. Though the hostage-takers claimed that they were acting in reaction to the emergency military intervention by France in Mali, Council members did not draw the connection in the press statement. On 17 January, the ICC Prosecutor opened investigations into war crimes in Mali.
December 2012
On 5 December, DPA head Jeffrey Feltman briefed the Council on the Secretary-General’s report warning that the security situation in northern Mali continued to deteriorate, with foreign jihadists and terrorist elements arriving to join the armed groups. On 10 December soldiers loyal to the 22 March coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, arrested interim Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra, forcing him to resign. On 11 December the Council condemned the arrest of Diarra and urged the interim president to swiftly reappoint a national unity government. On 13 December, the Secretary-General set out three options for UN logistical and funding support for an African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA). On 20 December, the Council adopted resolution 2085 under Chapter VII authorising the deployment of AFISMA for an initial period of one year.
November 2012
On 28 November, the Secretary-General submitted a report to the Council detailing the concept of operations for an African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA). The planning for AFISMA was endorsed by the African Union on 14 November and on 11 November ECOWAS announced its plan to deploy 3,300 troops to support the mission.
October 2012
On 12 October, the Council met and unanimously passed resolution 2071 welcoming the appointment of Romano Prodi as the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the Sahel and expressing its readiness to respond positively to a request from Mali regarding an intervention force to assist the Malian armed forces to reclaim the northern half of the country pending a report by the Secretary-General on the military planning for such an intervention—due in late November. The resolution requested the Secretary-General to provide military planners to work with ECOWAS and devise a plan for the deployment of troops from ECOWAS, which on 18 September had been asked by Malian authorities to send in troops to help them retake the north. After the resolution was adopted, the representatives of Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, as chair of ECOWAS, made statements thanking the Council for its support.
September 2012
On Mali, the statement noted the request by the interim government for ECOWAS assistance and took note of that organisation’s ongoing strategic planning efforts. The statement also stressed the need for ECOWAS to coordinate with the interim government, regional and international organisations, other Sahel countries and bilateral partners to prepare detailed options regarding the deployment of a regional force in Mali. The press statement followed a 17 September briefing by DPA head Jeffrey Feltman to the Council. Ambassador Youssoufou Bamba (Côte d’Ivoire) also made a statement on behalf of ECOWAS at the briefing. (ECOWAS held an emergency meeting on Mali on 14 and 15 September.)
August 2012
On 8 August, the Council was briefed by the Secretary-General and the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs for Peace and Security. The Council was also updated on the ongoing strategic planning efforts following the request for a Security Council mandate authorising the deployment of an ECOWAS stabilisation force. On 10 August, Council members issued a press statement encouraging ECOWAS to prepare detailed options for the objectives, means and modalities of the proposed regional stabilisation force.
July 2012
On 5 July, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2056, expressing its full support for the joint efforts of ECOWAS, the AU and the transitional authorities to attempt to re-establish constitutionality and the territorial integrity of Mali. The resolution declared the Council’s readiness to consider backing a military deployment in Mali as proposed by ECOWAS “once additional information has been provided regarding the objectives, means and modalities of the envisaged deployment and other possible measures.” Meanwhile, ECOWAS deployed a Technical Assessment Mission from 7-18 July to assess the feasibility of deploying troops in Mali and on 25-26 July, the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff held an emergency meeting on Mali in Abidjan to consider the report of the TAM, which would later have to be endorsed by the Heads of State of ECOWAS. In the meantime, the Justice Minister in the transitional government formally requested on 18 July that the International Criminal Court investigate atrocities being committed by the various Islamists and rebel groups in the north of the country. In a resolution on the situation of human rights in Mali, the Human Rights Council condemned human rights violations and acts of violence committed in northern Mali by the rebels, terrorist groups and organised transnational crime networks.
June 2012
On 18 June, the Council issued a press statement taking note of the request by ECOWAS for the Council to authorise the deployment of a “stabilisation force” in Mali and expressing Council members’ readiness to further examine the request “once additional information has been provided regarding the objectives, means and modalities of the envisaged deployment and other possible measures.” An informal interactive meeting on Mali, requested by Togo, was held on 15 June in New York between Council members and representatives of the AU PSC and ECOWAS. The Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso, Djibrill Yipènè Bassolé, who is leading ECOWAS’ mediation efforts on Mali, provided an update on his efforts and requested a mandate from the Council for the planned ECOWAS military deployment in Mali. On 13 June, at the sixth consultative meeting between the two councils, Mali was prominently discussed. A communiqué issued at the close of the meeting acknowledged “the efforts of ECOWAS to explore options to restore peace and security in Mali in the context of upholding its territorial integrity.” The previous day, the AU Peace and Security Council meeting in New York had issued a communiqué calling on the Security Council “as a matter of urgency” to “endorse the envisaged deployment of an ECOWAS force [in Mali] and to lend its full support to the efforts being exerted to this end.”
April 2012
On 6 April, ECOWAS brokered a framework agreement resulting in the military junta’s promise to give up power in return for an amnesty and the lifting of the sanctions ECOWAS had imposed. The junta also agreed to a timetable for a return to constitutional rule and elections.
March 2012
On 26 March, the Council issued a presidential statement expressing “serious concern” about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region “which is further complicated by the presence of armed groups and terrorist groups.” On 22 March, the Council issued a press statement condemning the forcible seizure of power and calling for the “immediate restoration” of the deposed government. That day, young officers led by Captain Amadou Sanogo had overthrown the civilian government of President Amadou Toumani Touré, ahead of presidential elections scheduled for 29 April in which Touré was not participating.
