Mali demands immediate withdrawal of UN soldiers

The tensions between the United Nations and Mali’s government, which has close ties with Russia, have been increasing for years. Now, the Malian Foreign Minister has called for an immediate end to the UN mission, known as MINUSMA.

Abdoulaye Diop, Mali’s Foreign Minister, demanded the immediate withdrawal of MINUSMA during a meeting with the UN Security Council in New York. The operation, consisting of over 10,000 peacekeepers, including hundreds of German soldiers, has been unable to adequately respond to the country’s tense security situation over the past ten years, said Diop. Instead, it has become “part of the problem.” “Against this backdrop, the Malian government demands the immediate withdrawal of MINUSMA. However, the government is willing to cooperate with the United Nations in this regard,” the minister added.

In recent years, tensions between the United Nations and Mali’s government, which has close ties with Russia, have increased. Among other issues, the French have ended their participation in MINUSMA due to this.

German mission hindered by military junta

Germany originally planned to withdraw its soldiers by May 31, 2024. The Bundeswehr has been participating in the UN mission to stabilize the country for ten years but has recently been greatly hindered by Mali’s military junta. For instance, it refused to grant flight permits for the reconnaissance drone Heron, which Germany operated under UN orders.

The United Nations depends on the host country’s approval to operate a peacekeeping mission. A spokesperson for the UN mission in Mali, Fatoumata Kaba, said that the United Nations will respond to the request.