Photo: Maghrebia/Flickr

According to some analysts, major political and military reforms are needed to restore long-term stability.

Foreign ministers from Algeria, Mauritania and other African countries will meet Sunday (March 17th) in Nouakchott, PANA reported. The African Union Peace and Security Council organised the summit to discuss regional security and the reconstruction of Mali.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is considering a full-strength peacekeeping mission in Mali, replacing the coalition forces currently fighting armed Islamists and their al-Qaeda allies.

"July could see the transfer of AFISMA (the African-led International Support Mission in Mali) to the UN stabilisation mission," AFP quoted the UN assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping as saying Saturday in Bamako.

"It's not an intervention force," Edmond Mulet said at the end of a week-long visit to Mali.

"We're not a buffer between the north and the south. The members of the Security Council and the member states are very clear on the need for Mali to extend its authority over all its territory," he added.