In view of the Security Council’s debate on the assessment and the conditions for the extension of the presence of the MINUSMA on the territory of Mali for a 3rd year, FIDH wishes to remind Member-States of the need to adapt the mandate to the changing context and the emergence of new challenges over the past year.
In the past year, Mali has seen a dramatic increase in violence, including kidnappings and executions of civilians and attacks against the civilian population, humanitarian NGOs and the UN forces, which have resulted in the killing of more than 150 casualties, including forty peacekeepers since the beginning of 2015, in 74 incidents, according to our organizations.
The mandate should also take into account the advances and challenges related to the final adoption and implementation of the "Peace and Reconciliation Agreement reached in the process of Algiers" signed by the government party, the Platform and the team of international mediation, including Algeria, the leader, May 15, 2015 in Bamako and signed by the CMA on June 20, 2015.
The mandate of the MINUSMA marks a significant change from previous UN peacekeeping operations, as this new type of integrated multidimensional mission is tasked with a robust mandate for the protection of civilians and the protection and promotion of human rights. FIDH and its member organization, the Association malienne des droits de l’Homme (AMDH), support the retention and strengthening of these two aspects in the Mission’s mandate to better secure the civilian population and provide enhanced support to the political and judicial processes.
See the full position paper here for a full list of FIDH recommendations.