The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) announced it would close following ten years of service – news was noted that Mali had requested the UN withdraw its presence “without delay” back in June. The UN had begun the process of closing the mission back in July.
MINUSMA extended its gratitude to the nations that backed their efforts and commended the peacekeepers for their commitment to the mission. While a few staff members and sites are still present, the full withdrawal is expected to be finalized by the deadline set for January 1, 2024.
This update comes after the mission revealed on December 1 that 9,680 of the 12,944 uniformed personnel and 360 of the 927 civilian personnel had been evacuated, leaving 10,040 staff members still in Mali.
El-Ghassim Wane, the head of MINUSMA, in a conversation with AFP News, said, “We are leaving… proud of what we have been able to achieve, but also clear-sighted about the limits of our action.”
The UN Security Council consented to MINUSMA’s withdrawal from Mali in July. This UN mission was established in 2013 to assist with political processes and security efforts amid disturbances following a coup in 2012. From now on, these duties will be performed by the transitional Malian government. The Malian government, currently under military leadership, is scheduled to transition back to civilian rule in 2024.
More background detail about the close of the MINUSMA can be found in the original report on Jurist.org.