It is critical for the transitional government of Mali to cooperate with the United Nations on the safe withdrawal of the UN mission - more commonly known by its acronym MINUSMA - from the country, US deputy envoy to the world body Robert Wood said on Tuesday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th July, 2023) It is critical for the transitional government of Mali to cooperate with the United Nations on the safe withdrawal of the UN mission - more commonly known by its acronym MINUSMA - from the country, US deputy envoy to the world body Robert Wood said on Tuesday.
"It is critical that the transition government of Mali fully cooperate with the UN to ensure a safe and orderly withdrawal of MINUSMA. This includes fully respecting the Status of Forces Agreement until the final MINUSMA element departs beyond December 31," Wood said during a meeting of the UN Security Council on peace consolidation in West Africa.
Wood said once the plan for MINUSMA's transition is finalized, the United States would welcome discussions on what additional resources the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) may require for maintaining and increasing activities there.
On June 30, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to end the MINUSMA - the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali - and to fully withdraw by the end of 2023.
The decision came after the Malian government asked the United Nations to urgently withdraw its mission from the country. The government said MINUSMA's ten-year presence in Mali failed to adequately respond to the security situation there and contributed to the escalating tensions.
