UN’s Difficult Phase of Pullout From Mali: Challenges for MINUSMA

The UN peacekeeping organisation Minusma, which has been ordered to leave Mali after a decade of conflict, confronts obstacles due to a tight schedule and perilous security conditions.

The 13,000-man mission, which has been ordered to leave Mali due to separatist and jihadist rebellions, has until December 31 to leave the nation. The mission, which was ordered to leave earlier this year, has suffered attacks on operations to leave the Ber facility in the country’s north.

Almost 1,100 Blue Helmet UN soldiers have returned to their home countries, and by September 30, roughly one-third of Minusma’s civilian employees will be gone.

The second phase, which will last until December 15, will involve the closure of six bases in northern, northeastern, and central Mali. The terrain is challenging, and insecurity is a constant threat.

The agencies in charge of overseeing the 2015 peace accord between the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) and the then-civilian Mali government have been rendered ineffective.

Despite these obstacles, the mission is scheduled to be finished by December 31st. The latest UN convoy to leave Ber travelled 57 kilometres in 51 hours. The military coup in neighbouring Niger has also hampered the pullout effort, necessitating the shipment of equipment and materials through Niger to important ports such as Cotonou and Lome.