El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Mali, says the security situation in the country remains volatile and marked by pockets of terrorist violence with devasting consequences for civilians.
Wane, who is the Head of the UN Mission in Mali (MINUSIMA), said this while briefing the Security Council on Wednesday at UN headquarters, New York.
The UN top official briefed the Council on major developments in the West African country over the past three months.
MINUSMA was established a decade ago following insecurity in the north and a failed military coup, which led to the signing of a peace deal between the authorities and two armed group coalitions in 2015.
Wane updated ambassadors on the peace process, and advances in the transition to civilian rule following the coup of three years ago, but began by focusing on insecurity, amid rising humanitarian needs.
He said the security crisis in the northeast region of Ménaka had worsened, recalling that he had first sounded the alarm last year.
According to him, since January, there has been a resurgence in fighting between the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) and the militant jihadist group JNIM.
Despite operations by the Malian forces, and Niger, the security and humanitarian situation remains disastrous.
More than 30,000 displaced people have converged near the main city, also called Ménaka, and roughly 2,400 have sheltered near a MINUSMA camp, recalling his last visit to the region three weeks ago.
“The flow of internally displaced persons has increased the strain on the humanitarian response, with populations having urgent needs for drinking water, food and medicine and shelter.
“Listening to those displaced persons who are begging us, literally, for drinking water was a shocking experience,” he added.
MINUSMA peacekeepers continue their efforts to protect civilians, including through day and night patrols in coordination with the Malian forces.
The Mission also promotes reconciliation efforts aimed at defusing intra-communal tensions.
Meanwhile, Gao and the central region of Mali have also seen confrontations between ISGS and JNIM. Some armed groups that signed the peace deal have also been involved in fighting against the ISIL offshoot.
Wane said the operations of the Malian forces had generally disrupted extremist activities in the centre, forcing them to disperse toward the neighboring regions of Timbuktu and Gao.
“Under this pressure, extremist groups have increasingly begun to use IEDs (improvised explosive devises) to hamper the ground movements of the Malian Defense and Security Forces, in addition to surprise attacks on various police stations along the main supply lines,” he said.
Given the situation, the adoption and recent launch of the government’s three-year stabilisation strategy for the centre, was an important step, he said.
He added that MINUSMA supported the development of the strategy and will assist with its implementation.
In light of the security challenges, Wane underscored the need for closer coordination between the Malian forces and the UN Mission.
He welcomed recent steps taken at the regional level, which he said must be enhanced, adding that freedom of movement is equally important.
“We continue to encounter challenges in this respect, particularly concerning the use of our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, and some of our ground movements.
“Improvements in this respect are critical to the ability of the Mission to meet the legitimate expectations of the Malian people and authorities for enhanced effectiveness,” he said.
In addition, Wane said while the challenges in Mali were many, advances made in many areas should not be overlooked “even if what has been achieved after a decade of intense international engagement is below expectations, not least those of the Malian people.
“These advances show that with sustained engagement by the international community and commitment from the Malian stakeholders, the situation can be turned around.”
He was convinced that the UN “offers the best framework to support the lasting stabilisation of Mali and the larger Sahel region,” in partnership with the African Union and regional bloc ECOWAS.
“We have all the tools required, ranging from peacekeeping to peacebuilding and development, and our action is predicated on principles that bind the entire membership of the Organisation, of which Mali is one.
“This is a unique position that should continue to be leveraged, given the importance of Mali’s stability for the region and beyond,” the top UN official said.
