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UN / MALI
STORY: UN / MALI
TRT: 2.35
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
DATELINE: 25 JUNE 2013, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
25 JUNE 2013, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Albert Gerard Koenders, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali:
“I am happy to report that on the 18th of June, the Transitional Government of Mali and armed groups in the northern regions, particularly the MNLA and the Haut Conseil pour l’Unité de l’Azawad, signed a Preliminary Agreement on the Presidential Elections and Inclusive Negotiations."
5. Wide shot, Koenders on video screen
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Albert Gerard Koenders, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali:
“Although a first and a preliminary step, I think the Agreement is critical, not only because of the forthcoming elections, but also because it commits the parties to a post-electoral inclusive dialogue. And for it to be successful, the dialogue would need to be comprehensive and inclusive, and tackle the root causes of the recurrent crises in Mali."
7. Med shot, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (French) Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations:
"If the Council today confirms that the security conditions prevalent in MINUSMA’s areas of responsibility allow for the transfer of authority from MISMA to MINUSMA on the 1st of July, MINUSMA will become, in time, the third largest United Nations peacekeeping operation."
9. Med shot, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Amerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support:
"MINUSMA mission support is simultaneously engaged in two other complex endeavours; preparations for the Presidential Elections, the first round of which takes place on the 28th of July; and, follow up to the interim agreement signed in Ouagadougou last week. This would be a formidable triple challenge in any context, but one that is complicated by several features of the operating environment in Mali, and specifically, in northern Mali."
11. Med shot, delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (French) Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali:
“The cessation of large-scale fighting on the outskirts of the main cities of the North, the routing of armed groups and the drastic reduction of spoiler’s capabilities, thanks to the combined efforts of the Malian, African and French armed forces, are all favourable indicators for the transfer of power from MISMA to MINUSMA within the time limit set by resolution 2100."
13. Zoom out, Security Council
As the United Nations prepares to take over from the African-led mission in Mali, top officials today (25 June) called on Member States to contribute critical resources, including personnel and equipment, to ensure that the world body can support the country with key tasks such as implementing the recent ceasefire accord and preparing for next month’s elections.
Bert Koenders, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Mali and head of the new UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), briefing the Security Council by video-link from the Malian capital, Bamako, updated the 15-member body on the security situation, the mediation and national reconciliation process, the preparations for the 28 July presidential elections; and the humanitarian and human rights situations.
Koenders reported that on 18 June, the Transitional Government of Mali and armed groups in the northern regions, including the MNLA and the Haut Conseil pour l’Unité de l’Azawad, had signed a Preliminary Agreement on the Presidential Elections and Inclusive Negotiations.
He said that “although a first and a preliminary step” the Agreement was “critical, not only because of the forthcoming elections, but also because it commits the parties to a post-electoral inclusive dialogue.”
Koenders also called on Member States to fully support the UN mission and contribute critical resources, military and police personnel, and key enablers.
The transfer of responsibility from the African-led mission, known as AFISMA, to MINUSMA is expected to take place on 1 July, when the bulk of the military units in the former will be transferred to the latter.
Also briefing the Council, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, said that "if the Council today confirms that the security conditions prevalent in MINUSMA’s areas of responsibility allow for the transfer of authority from MISMA to MINUSMA on the 1st of July, MINUSMA will become, in time, the third largest United Nations peacekeeping operation."
Ladsous told the Council that the UN is still seeking pledges for important outstanding capabilities, including helicopters, intelligence, information operations and special forces.
The Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Amerah Haq, said her office was on track to meet the Mission’s requirements by 1st July and noted that MINUSMA mission support is “simultaneously engaged in two other complex endeavours; preparations for the Presidential Elections, the first round of which takes place on the 28th of July; and, follow up to the interim agreement signed in Ouagadougou last week.”
Haq said this would be a “formidable triple challenge in any context, but one that is complicated by several features of the operating environment in Mali, and specifically, in northern Mali."
She drew attention to the harsh climatic conditions in northern Mali, where most of the mission’s operations will be located. The temperature in Timbuktu, for example, regularly reaches 48 degrees Celsius, or 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Haq also noted that water availability is limited, particularly in the arid north; the airfields in the north are unable to service large aircraft; road infrastructure in the north is spotty; and there are still armed groups who have sworn to oppose – and attack – the UN.
Also briefing the Council, Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Tieman Hubert Coulibaly, said “the cessation of large-scale fighting on the outskirts of the main cities of the North, the routing of armed groups and the drastic reduction of spoiler’s capabilities, thanks to the combined efforts of the Malian, African and French armed forces, are all favourable indicators for the transfer of power from MISMA to MINUSMA within the time limit set."
The new mission, set up by the Council in April, is tasked with supporting the political process in Mali, which is recovering from a conflict between Government forces and Tuareg rebels that uprooted hundreds of thousands of people since January 2012.
The Council has also authorized MINUSMA “to use all necessary means” to carry out security-related stabilization tasks, protect civilians, UN staff and cultural artefacts, and create the conditions for the provision of humanitarian aid.
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