According to a French-proposed Security Council resolution seen by Reuters, the U.N. would conclude its decade-long peacekeeping deployment in Mali on June 30 and withdraw all forces within six months.
After years of tensions between the U.N. and Mali’s military junta, Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop ordered the 13,000-strong MINUSMA mission to leave “without delay” this month.
It would end an operation hampered by government limitations since Mali joined forces with Russia’s Wagner mercenary outfit in 2021. The U.N. operation protected civilians from an Islamist insurgency that murdered thousands.
The mission’s departure might exacerbate security, leaving Mali’s under-equipped army with about 1,000 Wagner fighters to fight extremists in the desert north and center.
After Saturday’s failed insurrection in Russia, Wagner’s operations were questioned. According to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group is allowed to operate in Belarus.
Under the draft resolution, U.N. forces would stay until the end of the year to allow for a transition. Still, MINUSMA activities, including vital support to Malian soldiers, will be reduced.
“The Security Council… decides to terminate MINUSMA’s mandate as of June 30 2023,” read the draft resolution released last week. MINUSMA “maintain its personnel until December 31 2023, to plan and execute the cessation of operations and transfer of tasks.”
Security experts and two U.N. officials confirmed the content. Two sources predicted no modifications to a draft resolution before publishing.
The 15-member Security Council votes Thursday.
The resolution requires nine votes and no vetoes from Russia, China, the US, Britain, or France.
Russia’s mercenaries in Mali and China, Moscow’s ally, have long been skeptical of MINUSMA.
Since 2021, Britain, Germany, and Sweden have announced soldier withdrawals from the operation. After government differences, France withdrew its military from Mali last year.
MINUSMA declined to comment. Malian officials declined to comment.
“Subject to the Security Council’s decision, the U.N. is ready to work with the Malian authorities on an exit plan for MINUSMA,” a U.N. peacekeeping spokesperson said.
He reported internal conversations.
