France is very concerned about the situation in Mali [fr]

Mr. President,

I would like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Ms. Samaké for their presentations.

France is very concerned about the situation in Mali. Violence against civilians in the centre of the country has increased since the beginning of the year, with complete impunity. There are reports of human rights violations by elements of the Malian armed forces accompanied by Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group. France, the European Union and the ECOWAS countries had already expressed their concerns last December, at the beginning of Wagner deployment.

I am thinking in particular of the abuses that caused the death of hundreds of civilians in the village of Moura. France offers its condolences to the families of the victims and calls for national and international investigations to be opened rapidly. This will enable the perpetrators of these acts, some of which could constitute war crimes, to be brought to justice. France has taken note of the opening of an investigation by the prosecutor in Mopti. It will remain attentive to the follow-up. It is essential that MINUSMA be able to conduct its own investigation, without hindrance and in complete independence, to establish the facts and report to this Council. In addition, it is essential that MINUSMA use all the means at its disposal to protect civilians. We call on the Malian authorities to guarantee the mission’s freedom of movement.

The fight against terrorism can only succeed if it is supported by the population. It cannot justify indiscriminate violence against civilians, which only strengthens the terrorist groups. In this respect, we observe with concern the offensive carried out since the beginning of the year by the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara in the Tri-border area.

This deterioration in the security situation comes at a time when the war waged by Russia in Ukraine is aggravating an already critical food situation. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Malian people and the populations of the Sahel.

Mr. President,

The coming months will be crucial for Mali. France calls on the transitional authorities to focus on three objectives. The first is the implementation of the Algiers peace agreement. As a member of the international mediation, we consider that this is still the appropriate response to durably appease relations between the signatory armed groups and the authorities in Bamako. However, no progress has been made for several months. A new impetus is needed. The second objective is to propose a concrete strategy to deal with the crisis in the centre and protect civilians. Here again, results are expected. Finally, the last objective is the finalisation of the political transition and the return to constitutional order. France hopes for a rapid agreement between Mali and ECOWAS to organise elections as soon as possible. It supports the efforts of ECOWAS. It also condemns the cracks on public freedoms, which further strain the political climate.

To achieve these three objectives, MINUSMA remains necessary. More than thirty countries are contributing to it, under extremely difficult conditions. We pay tribute to them. France is counting on the members of this Council to renew the mission’s mandate within three months.

For its part, France has decided to end its military commitment in Mali. This is a decision that we have taken in consultation with the Sahelian and neighbouring countries, as well as with international partners. However, we intend to maintain our support to MINUSMA. We will also continue our humanitarian and development aid for the direct benefit of the Malian population. France will also remain committed to the fight against terrorism in the Sahelian region and is considering strengthening its support to the countries of the Gulf of Guinea. We will revert to this Council shortly with further details.

Thank you Mr. President./.