Delays in implementing Mali peace deal mean gains for terrorists: UN official

UN Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous (UN file photo)

Bamako (IINA) – The top UN peacekeeping official warned on Tuesday that "every day lost in the implementation of Mali’s peace agreement is a day gained for extremist and terrorist groups that have bet heavily that the process will fail."
Briefing the Security Council on the implementation of Mali's Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation, UN UnderSecretary General Hervé Ladsous stressed that the government and the armed groups who signed the deal must establish a timeline to resolve all pending issues.
He reported significant progress in recent weeks towards implementing the agreement, including steps towards establishing interim administrative arrangements in the north, the creation of two new regions.
Ladsous noted other positive developments, including the adoption by the National Assembly the Law amending the Code of local authorities which was followed by the adoption of a decree on the modalities of implementing the interim authorities in local authorities.
“This is a decisive step that should be welcomed,” he said, adding: “it is now up to the parties to implement this law in the shortest possible time.”
He also drew the Council’s attention to the creation of national commissions on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as the construction of cantonment sites.
In light of the security situation in the north, however, he warned that “progress on defense and security issues is too slow,” urging the government and signatory armed groups to move forward on the Operational Coordination Mechanism that would be responsible for establishing mixed patrols and protecting cantonment sites.
AB/IINA

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