Chair’s Summary of High-Level Meeting on Malian Political Process

 

On 27 September, the United Nations convened a high-level meeting on the Malian political process on the margins of the general debate of the United Nations General Assembly.  Opened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, and by the President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the event gathered the members of the inter-Malian inclusive dialogue mediation team — Algeria, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad — and of the Security Council to discuss the Malian political process.  Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Islamic Development Bank participated as observers.

Members of the Algeria-led mediation team provided an update on the negotiations currently under way in Algiers, recognizing the multifaceted nature of the challenges facing the northern region of Mali.  The members of the mediation team also noted their efforts to include perspectives from representatives of civil society and communities selected by the parties to promote wider inclusivity in a peace process which will require broad acceptance from Malian citizens.

The participants expressed strong support for the talks under way in Algiers.  They called on the parties to fully respect the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the road map for the negotiations in the framework of the Algiers process which reaffirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of the Malian State.  The participants also urged for compromises to be made to find common ground.  The participants reminded that working in good faith was essential to reach an agreement that addresses the root causes of the crisis within the framework of the road map signed by all parties on 24 July.

Participants also highlighted the regional dimension of the challenges confronting Mali, recognizing the crucial role of the Governments of the Sahel region in jointly addressing the root causes of the crisis and particularly those related to governance, security and long-term resilience, and urged the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the European Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to intensify collaboration on the implementation of targeted regional strategies.

The participants strongly condemned the acts of violence and terrorism in the northern region of Mali, particularly the attacks against United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) peacekeepers, which have continued during the talks in Algiers, and called upon all the armed movements to fully respect the ceasefire agreement of 23 May and the cessation of hostilities agreement of 24 July, and to cooperate with MINUSMA and international forces present in the northern region of Mali to bring such attacks to an end.

Participants underscored the need for international guarantees and international political, financial and operational assistance for the implementation of a future peace agreement, including early confidence-building measures for the parties and communities in the northern region of Mali.

Participants noted their appreciation for the work of the group of mediators and reiterated their unified support to the inter-Malian inclusive dialogue as the only viable option to achieve long-term peace and stability.  They emphasized the need for a process that is genuinely open to the hopes and concerns of all communities.

Finally, the participants emphasized the central role that MINUSMA could play in support of the implementation of a peace agreement and urged Member States to provide MINUSMA with the necessary political and operational support needed to effectively carry out its challenging mandate.

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For information media • not an official record