MINISTRY OF TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION AND DECENTRALIZATION…

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REPUBLIC OF MALI One People – One Goal – One Faith

COMMUNIQUE N°019 OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TRANSITION

The Government of the Republic of Mali takes note of the unilateral decision of February 17, 2022 of the French authorities to proceed with the withdrawal of military forces from Barkhane and Takuba, in violation of the agreements binding France and Mali and involving other partners.

This decision follows France’s equally unilateral announcements, on June 3, 2021, of the suspension of joint operations with the Malian Armed Forces and on June 10, 2021 of the end of Operation Barkhane, without notice and without prior consultation with the Malian part.

These unilateral decisions constitute flagrant violations of the legal framework binding France and Mali. The Government recalls that in relation to the expected results, the results obtained and officially announced by the French authorities were not satisfactory, nor in 2013 with Operation Serval (destroy terrorism, restore the authority of the Malian State on the whole

national territory, enforce UN resolutions) nor in 2016 with Operation Barkhane

(fight against terrorism, help build the Malian army, intervene in favor of

populations). Despite the presence of Operation Barkhane and international forces,

2013 to 2021, Mali risked partition and the terrorist threat initially located in the North of the

Mali, has spread throughout the national territory.

The Government of Mali recalls that Operation Serval would not have been necessary if NATO had not intervened in Libya in 2011. This intervention, which fundamentally changed the security situation in the region and in which France played a active leading role and to the chagrin of Africans, is at the root of the current security problems of Mali in particular and the Sahel in general.

Contrary to the allegations relating to the deterioration of the security situation, the authorities of the Transition, in the exercise of their sovereign right, undertook proactive actions to diversify partnerships, made enormous efforts, thus enabling the rise in power of the Malian armed forces and the significant improvement in the security situation on the ground, over the past six months, in particular, with a view to creating the conditions for holding elections.

In addition, for a rapid return to constitutional order, the Government of Mali has set up a consultation mechanism aimed at adopting a consensual timetable, in conjunction with ECOWAS, the AU, IONU and certain countries of the region.

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