Once a French colony and a cultural hub of West Africa, the landlocked country of Mali was overrun in January 2012, by a coalition of Tuareg and terrorist groups moving south towards the capital of Bamako. After unsuccessful joint efforts by the African Union and France to resolve the conflict, the UN Security Council authorized the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in July 2013, with a mandate to help stabilize Mali and assist the country’s return to constitutional order.
The mission monitors the implementation of ceasefire agreements, facilitates political reconciliation, assists in the integration of displaced persons, deliver humanitarian assistance, and works alongside Malian authorities to foster and protect human rights.
MINUSMA is operating in a challenging situation after three coups in two years. The mission is supporting the parties to adhere to the terms of the agreed upon transitional government. In addition, the mission is facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance and ensuring stability in a volatile region.