Mali doesn’t need UN peacekeeping mission – political analyst

Mali needs a new strategy when it comes to the fight against terrorism, not a detached United Nations peacekeeping mission, Pan-African political analyst Pare Ouseman has argued.

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in 2013 in response to the Tuareg rebellion in the northern part of the country.

Speaking to RT, Ouseman suggested that the reasons for the continued presence of MINUSMA were unclear, as it appears to serve the self-interests of various armed groups rather than actively combating terrorism in the West African country.

“What is the need for a useless mission that only follows the selfish interests of different armed groups? There is no reason for their existence in Mali,” he insisted, adding that “they are not involved in the fighting.”

Ouseman’s comments follow protests and calls for the withdrawal of MINUSMA troops from the country by its junta government.

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told a UN Security Council meeting on June 16 that the peacekeeping forces should leave immediately after years of strained relations between the UN and Bamako’s military leadership.

“MINUSMA seems to have become part of the problem by fueling community tensions exacerbated by extremely serious allegations, which are highly detrimental to peace, reconciliation, and national cohesion in Mali,” Diop said.

The mandate of MINUSMA expires on June 30, but the UN has recommended that it be extended to focus on a few key priorities.

Mali has witnessed years of political unrest, including two coups in 2020 and 2021, as well as an ongoing jihadist insurgency in the country’s rural northern region. The Tuareg uprising in 2012 prompted the establishment of the UN mission, which grew to include more than 15,000 foreign troops. The international mission’s goal is to improve Mali’s security while also facilitating humanitarian aid and the transition to civilian government.