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STORY: UN / MALI SRSG WANE INTERVIEW
TRT: 4:41
SOURCE: UNIFEED / FILE
RESTRITIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA / FILE
FILE – MINUSMA
1. Close up, UN flag and Mali flag
2. Various shots, peacekeepers leaving
06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA
3. SOUNDBITE (English) El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA):
“I believe that the Mission has delivered or achieved important results. There is no doubt about it. When it comes to the protection of civilians, obviously we can’t provide physical protection to every single Malian who is in need of it. But in areas where the mission was deployed, there was a clear impact, tangible, visible by local populations.”
FILE - MINUSMA
4. Various shots, UN vehicle leaving
06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA
5. SOUNDBITE (English) El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA):
“We have provided sustained political support to all the processes that were underway way, be the peace process, the ceasefire component, of course, was over seen by MINUSMA. We provided political support for the parties. We provided support for the participation of women. We work very closely with Algeria, which was the chef de file and other members of the international mediation. Definitely not all the provisions and not in fact even some of the critical provisions of the agreement were implemented. But again, the responsibility lies with the parties. Our role was to support them, to accompany them. And our efficacy is heavily dependent on the extent of their commitment.”
FILE - MINUSMA
6. Various shots, UN vehicle leaving
06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA
7. SOUNDBITE (English) El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA):
“And we provided support to the electoral process throughout the duration of our presence in Mali. We provided support for the adoption of a strategy for the stability of the center, MINUSMA was most critical here again. The strategy, of course is Malian lead strategy that has to be implemented. But the mere fact of helping the Malians put together the strategy was important, and we also provided support to local populations, local authorities through projects implemented based on different funding streams. But that clearly made a tangible impact in the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Malians.”
FILE - MINUSMA
8. Various shots, MINUSMA memorial
06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA
9. SOUNDBITE (English) El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA):
“As far as the peace process is concerned, the focus was enhancing the participation of women. And in that context the Agreement Monitoring Committee was expanded so that women can contribute to the discussion and it made a difference.”
FILE - MINUSMA
10. Various shots, USG Lacroix visiting MINUSMA
06 DECEMBER 2023, ACCRA, GHANA
11. SOUNDBITE (English) El-Ghassim Wane, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA):
‘Indeed, the UN agencies these funds and programs were in Mali well before the deployment of MINUSMA, and will stay in Mali well after the withdrawal of MINUSMA, that means that the UN support and solidarity with Malian people will continue. And of course, there are a host of issues, development and other related issues, on which the UN can make a meaningful contribution to Mali. And I have no doubt that in so doing they also build on the achievements that were made by MINUSMA that far from being perfect. But I believe some milestones have been led and the need to build on them to help Mali definitely turn the page of violence and open a new chapter in its history.”
FILE – MINUSMA
12. Various shots, peacekeepers leaving
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali will complete its withdrawal by 31 December as requested by the UN Security Council. As the Mission ends its decade-long presence in the country, the outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary-General, El-Ghassim Wane, reflects on MINUSMA’s achievements and the way forward in the UN-Mali relationship.
Wane said, “I believe that the Mission has delivered or achieved important results. There is no doubt about it. When it comes to the protection of civilians, obviously we can’t provide physical protection to every single Malian who is in need of it. But in areas where the mission was deployed, there was a clear impact, tangible, visible by local populations.”
The Special Representative also said, “We have provided sustained political support to all the processes that were underway way, be the peace process, the ceasefire component, of course, was over seen by MINUSMA.”
He continued, “We provided political support for the parties. We provided support for the participation of women. We work very closely with Algeria, which was the chef de file and other members of the international mediation.”
Wane added, “Definitely not all the provisions and not in fact even some of the critical provisions of the agreement were implemented. But again, the responsibility lies with the parties. Our role was to support them, to accompany them. And our efficacy is heavily dependent on the extent of their commitment.”
The Special Representative also highlighted that the Mission provided support to the electoral process throughout the duration of our presence in Mali.
“We provided support for the adoption of a strategy for the stability of the center, MINUSMA was most critical here again. The strategy, of course is Malian lead strategy that has to be implemented. But the mere fact of helping the Malians put together the strategy was important, and we also provided support to local populations, local authorities through projects implemented based on different funding streams. But that clearly made a tangible impact in the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Malians,” he added.
On the peace process, Wane reiterated that the focus was enhancing the participation of women, “the Agreement Monitoring Committee was expanded so that women can contribute to the discussion and it made a difference,” the Special Representative said.
Wane also noted that the UN agencies these funds and programs were in Mali well before the deployment of MINUSMA, and will stay in Mali well after the withdrawal of MINUSMA, “that means that the UN support and solidarity with Malian people will continue.”
He added, “there are a host of issues, development and other related issues, on which the UN can make a meaningful contribution to Mali. And I have no doubt that in so doing they also build on the achievements that were made by MINUSMA that far from being perfect.”
The Special Representative concluded, “I believe some milestones have been led and the need to build on them to help Mali definitely turn the page of violence and open a new chapter in its history.”
At the request of the Malian authorities, the UN Security Council in June this year decided to withdraw the UN's peacekeeping operation in Mali, called MINUSMA. Over the past six months, the Mission repatriated its personnel and equipment and withdrew from its bases in very challenging circumstances. Despite the challenges, the decade-long presence of the Mission helped to protect civilians, support political and electoral processes and and facilitate the return of state authority.
MINUSMA is known as one of the most dangerous UN peace operations with more than 310 UN peacekeepers losing their lives serving the cause of peace in Mali.
