Sahel. A UN resolution to facilitate military action in Mali
The Security Council of the UN passed a unanimous resolution that urges West African countries to clarify their plans for military intervention intended to reconquer northern Mali, controlled by Islamist extremists on Friday. A further UN resolutionwill be needed to authorise military action.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sahel-A-UN-reso...
The text, developed by France invites parallel the Malian government and Tuareg rebels "to start as soon as possible, a credible negotiating process."
This resolution is "a first step, I hope, to something stronger", that is to say a formal go-ahead for UN intervention as requested Bamako, Ambassador Guatemala Gert Rosenthal, who chairs the Council in October said to AFP. The Council "has the feeling that the situation in northern Mali is serious and requires prompt action [...] but it is a very complicated operation," he added.
The resolution requests a detailed plan for such an operation from African organisations within 45 days.The UN has hitherto refused to endorse an ECOWAS force going to Mali without a detailed plan and details of back up and logistical support including the "Concept of Operations", staffing and evaluation costs. To do this, the UN will provide African experts.The EU is considering sending 150 military instructors rapid and discuss Monday between Foreign Ministers, according to AFP.
The text also urges Mali's authorities and the rebel groups controlling the north to begin a negotiation process and expresses alarm over the infiltration by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and other extremist groups into the north.Earlier this week, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic returned from Mali and warned that the Islamist militias had imposed a harsh version of Sharia law on the areas they controlled and had committed a series of human rights violations.
This resolution is "a first step, I hope, to something stronger", that is to say a formal go-ahead for UN intervention as requested Bamako, Ambassador Guatemala Gert Rosenthal, who chairs the Council in October said to AFP. The Council "has the feeling that the situation in northern Mali is serious and requires prompt action [...] but it is a very complicated operation," he added.
The resolution requests a detailed plan for such an operation from African organisations within 45 days.The UN has hitherto refused to endorse an ECOWAS force going to Mali without a detailed plan and details of back up and logistical support including the "Concept of Operations", staffing and evaluation costs. To do this, the UN will provide African experts.The EU is considering sending 150 military instructors rapid and discuss Monday between Foreign Ministers, according to AFP.
The text also urges Mali's authorities and the rebel groups controlling the north to begin a negotiation process and expresses alarm over the infiltration by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and other extremist groups into the north.Earlier this week, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic returned from Mali and warned that the Islamist militias had imposed a harsh version of Sharia law on the areas they controlled and had committed a series of human rights violations.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sahel-A-UN-reso...