The Security Council today approved a 12,600-strong United Nations peacekeeping operation to take over from the African-led mission in Mali on 1 July and authorized the blue helmets "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.
"We know it's going to be a fairly volatile environment," the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, told journalists in New York moments after the 15-member Council unanimously adopted resolution 2100 establishing the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
"This is not an enforcement mission. This is not an anti-terrorist operation," he stressed.
MINUSMA's core task is to support the political process in Mali, in close coordination with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
"The mission will help the Malian authorities to implement the transitional roadmap towards the full restoration of constitutional order, democratic governance and national unity," said Mr. Ladsous. "This includes the holding of elections in July, confidence building and facilitation of reconciliation at the national and local levels."
While officially established today, MINUSMA troops will not be on the ground until 1 July, when they will take over from the African-led force (AFISMA) and begin an initial 12-month mandate. That start date is subject to review and could be delayed in the event of a major international military operation or a continued threat from terrorist forces on the civilian population or international personnel, according to the resolution.
However, as of today, MINUSMA will assume responsibility for the mandated tasks being carried out by the UN Office in Mali (UNOM), which deployed in January and provides good offices aimed at facilitating contacts between the Government and those groups that wish to take part in the search for a political solution to the crisis.
In the resolution, the Security Council called on Member States to provide troops and police with "adequate capabilities and equipment in order to enhance the capacity of MINUSMA to operate, and discharge its responsibilities effectively." Mr. Ladsous said meetings are planned with potential troop-contributing countries over the next few days.
"Human rights is one of the core elements of the mandate. We will do some vetting of the personnel and we will increase their training in human rights and international humanitarian law," Mr. Ladsous said. "We want our people to be impeccable."
The Council also authorized Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to approve inter-mission cooperation between MINUSMA and the UN Missions in Liberia (UNMIL) and Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for temporary sharing of troops, assets, and logistic and administrative support without endangering the operational capabilities of those missions and also to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the missions in West Africa.
It also requested Mr. Ban to appoint expeditiously a Special Representative for Mali who would also head MINUSMA. This envoy would also be responsible for coordinating the activities of the UN agencies, funds and programmes in Mali, as well as use his or her good offices and coordinate the activities of the international community in support of the mission's mandate.
Mr. Ladsous did not offer hints about who might head MINUSMA, but said that an appointment "is being worked upon."
Acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Council authorized the UN's newest peacekeeping mission to "use all necessary force" to "stabilize the key population centres, especially in the north of Mali... to deter threats and take active steps to prevent the return of armed elements to those areas," as well as to support the transitional authorities to extend and re-establish State administration throughout the country.
Northern Mali was occupied by radical Islamists after fighting broke out in January 2012 between Government forces and Tuareg rebels. The conflict uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and prompted the Malian Government to request assistance from France to stop the military advance of extremist groups.
In parallel to MINUSMA, the Council authorized French troops "within the limits of their capacities and areas of deployment, to use all necessary means" to intervene in support of the mission when under imminent and serious threat, upon Mr. Ban's request.
France's Ambassador to the UN, Gerard Araud, today stated that his Government expects to keep 1,000 troops inside Mali until the end of the year.
While the protection of civilians is a key component of the mission's mandate, the Council reminded the transitional authorities in Mali that the primary responsibility to protect civilians rests with them. They also noted that while UN peacekeepers have the authority to use force in certain cases, the Malian Defence and Security Force will continue to assume full responsibility for providing security throughout the country.
On the humanitarian front, the UN troops have the right to use force "to create a secure environment for the safe, civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance, in accordance with humanitarian principles, and the voluntary return of internally displaced persons and refugees in close coordination with humanitarian actors."
The Council also authorized the use of force to assist the transitional authorities in protecting from attack the cultural and historical sites, in coordination with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
It also reiterated its call on all parties within Mali and on all Member States, particularly those in the area, "to cooperate fully with the deployment and activities of MINSUMA" and "to ensure the free, unhindered, and expeditious movement to and from Mali."
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Here it is Frnace has come into Africa started this impeerial war all for thier colonial ineterest; legalised it by gettiung support from the rest of the NATO allies??? Now there ia African troop pressence they have deemed alright and we now conviniently have enemies??? This is absurd madness of the highest order!!!These troops are not an all inclusive African military defense force that should be set up by the AU WITH SOEVERIEGN POWERS.. THESE TROOPS ARE UN MANDATED NOT ESTABLISHED WITH AFRICAN UNITY IN MIND???? WWHEN IS AFRICA GOING TO OPEN WIDE THIER EYES WE DO NOT NEED ENEMIES IN AFRICA EVERYDAY WE CONTRIBUTE TO THIER ILLIGITIMATE WARS AND COONLFICTS WE STOP CHILDREN FROM LEARNING WE KEEP OUR PEOPLE IN DARKNESS WE LOSE HOPE WE LOSE CONTROL; OF OUR RESOPURCES??? WHEN THERE IS PEACE" THEN THERE IS EMPOWERMENT STABILITY ENABLES US TO RESEARCH, LEARN, TO MANAGE, ANALYSE, CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS OWN AND DISTRIBUTE OUR RESOURCES !!! WITH THE PEOPLE BEING EMPOWERED... THIS LIFE THAT NATO AND THE WEST IS CARVING OUT FOR US' WHILST THEY UNDERMINE UNITY ,WHILST THEY DESPERATELY TRY TO MANIPULATE SABAOTAGE EVERY CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO MAINTAIN PEACE AN UNITY... THE DRC PROBLEM IS BEING EXASERBATED WITH WAR DRUMS INSTEAD OF PEACE.. AGAIN I SAY TO AFRICA TAKE BACK YOUR SOVERIEGNTY REMOVE THE UN FROM AFRICA TRADE WITH THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE BETWEEN YOURSELVES TO ENRICH YOUR OWN LIVES MAKING YOUR OWN PLANS NOT READY MADE PLANS WITH READY MADE ENEMIES.. RMEMBER THIS SO CALLED WAR ON TERROR IS A WESTERN IMAGINED OR CONCIEVED WAR WITH THIER ENEMIES.. THE WAR ON ISLAM IS ALL FOR ISREAL SAKE!!!!!! THEY WANT A STRONG MILITARY ISREAL WITH NUCLEAR POWER TO DOMINATE THE REGION WHILST THEY EMBARK ON ADVETURISM AROUND THE PLANET. CREATING WARS ENEMIES CONFLICST THEY DO NOT SPEND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARES TO FIND THE WROLD IS NOT WHAT THEY WANT IT TO BE.. MOST PEOPLE ARE OF ANCIENT CULTURES WHO FROM TIME MEMORIAL HAS LEARNED THAT WARS IS NOT THE ANSWER THIS WAS WHY THEY SO EASILY TOOK THE TECHNOLGIES THAT WERE ABANDONED MISUSED IT AND CREATED THIS EVIL EMPIRE THAT IS A SCOURGE ON THE PLANET.. THEY COERCE BRIBE MANIPULATE LIE TO HAVE THE WORLD THE WAY THEY WANT IT TO BE.. THEY ARE PERMANENTLY EXCUSED FROM ALL THE EVILS THEY PURSUE ON THE PLANET??? THAT IS SHAMEFUL THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH WONT STAND UNITED AGAINST TYRANNY AUTOCRATS DICTATORS AND AGAINST NUCLEAR BOMBS AND DANGEROUS MATERIALS??? ITS THE DUTY OF ALL ANTIONS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PEACE PROCCESS. ALL NATIONS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES AND FIND THIER OWN WAY WHAT WE DO NOT NEED IS EXPLOITATION AND THE TOTALLY UNBALANCED WEALTH OF THE WEST AND THE REST OF THE PLANET POOR... THEY HAVE PLAYED GOD LONG ENOUGH.. THEY HAVE NO AUHTOURITY TO DESTROY THIS PLANET THEY CANNOT NUKE THE PLANETAND ALL THE PEOPLE NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY PSOPTURE!!!!.. THIS IS OUR WORLD WE NEED SPACE TO BREATHE TO LEARN TO GROW, EVERYTIME WE HAVE PEACE IN AFRICA WE FIND THE WEST LURKING IN THE BACKGROUND SHATTERING THIS PEACE???? WHY!!!.. THEY HAVE BEEN IN DRC FOR 50 YEARS AND NO PROGRESS WHY THE DRC IS IMAGINABLY THE RICHEST OF ALL AFRICA!!! THEY CONTINUE TO PLUNDER PILLAGE WHILE THEY PORTECT THE MULTI NATIONALS AND ALLOW FOR THE HELPLESS PEOPLE TO TAKE OUT THIER FRUSTRATION ON EACH OTHER .. THEY INTURN RAPE PLUNDER EACH OTHER FOR FOOD AND IMAGINED PAPER MONEY THEY MIGHT HAVE3??? IMAGINE THESE PEOPLE ARE THE WEALTHIEST OF ALL AFRICANS BY RIGHT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING ; WITH WHAT THEY HAVE THEY CAN DIVERSIFY THEY CAN DO IT ALL AND STILL HAVE ENOUGH FOR THIER NEIGHBOURS YET THEY TOIL IN MISERY WITH A UNITED NATIONS THAT SERVES MULLTINATIONALS AND WESTERN INTEREST?? THIS IS NOT ON!!!! WHY ARE WE SENDING MORE WARROIORS TO THE CONGO A PLACE THAT IS RIFE WITH GUNS MILITIAS ROGUE ARMIES UN TROOPS AND WESTERN TROOPS NOTHING BUT BEDLAM WITH ORGANISED CHAOS.. THE MULITNATIONLAS ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CHAOS AS ITS IN PLACE FOR THIER EBENIFIT!!! COME ON AFRICA WHO IS MAKING POLICY FOR AFRICA THE CORRUPT UN OR IS IT GOING TO BE A RIGHTEOUS AFRICA??? THIS IDEA OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS ALL RUBBISH THEY SERVE THE INETEREST OF NATO AND THIER ALLIES.. WE WATCH IN BAHRAIN AS THIS GULF KINGDOM IS BEING RULED BY AUTOCRATS WHILE THE PEOPLE FIGHT AND DIE FOR BEING FREE; THE USA HAS A BASE THIER YET THEY REMAIN BLIND NOT A WORD SPOKEN.. THEY WILL ALWAYS TURN A BLIND EYE WHEN IT COEMS TO THIER INTEREST??? WHAT IS THIER INETERSTE??? THEY STEAL PLUNDER MIS REPRESENT THE TURH FOR THIER OWN ENRICHMENT.. THESE ARE GREEDY NON BENEVOLNET PEOPLE, THEY CARE NOT FOR THE EARTH NOR FOR HUMANITY.. I MUST REMIND HUMANITY THAT EVERYTHING AROUND US IS ALIVE THE UNIVERSE IS ALIVE THE PLANET IS ALIVFE ITNGIVES US FOOD WATER AND IT GIVES US LIFE!!! WE AR DESTROYING LIFE WHEN WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS WONDERFULK EARTH.. THE EARTH IS PART OF THE "ALLMIGHTY GOD"THIS IS HE? WHOM HAS GIVEN LIFE TO ALL WE DONT REALISE IT EVERYTIME WE POLLUT WE DESTROY WE TAKE LIFE WE ARE KILLING OURSELVES.. EVERYTHING WE DO MAINATIN WARS CONFLICTS DESTRUCTION IS HURTING OUR REATOR WHICH WILL NOT E TAKEN LIGHTLY ON THAT DAY!!! WE ARE NOT JUST WILD BEATS WHO CAN DO AS WELIKE??? THERE IS ORDER ON THE PLANET IN THE UNIVERSE AND EVRYBEING THAT IS HAS A FAMILY A PARENT THE ORDER OF LIFE IS BASED ON PARENTAGE. MOTHER FATHER FAMILY UNITY ORDER!!! DISORDER THE BREAKDOWN OF FAMILY IS A WESTERN CONCEIVED IDEOLOGFY PRACTICED TO CREATE SLAVERY VAMPIRISM BLOOD SUCKING EXPLOITATION SLAVERY SELF HATRED SELF DESTRUCTION WE ARE BEING USED AS PUPPETS TO WATCH AS HELPLESS IDOTS AS THEY PLUNDER AND PILLAGE OUR RESOURCES.... THEY DO NTO WANT US TO HAVE UNITY A NATION DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF WILL NOT STAND!!!!!WE ARE BUSY LOOKING FOR INVESTORS WHEN YOU HAVE EVERYTHING TO INVEST IN EACH OTHERS DEVELOPMENT YOU JUST WONT SEE THE NEED TO EDUCATE TO ENCOURAGE THE EMPOWERMENT OF SELF.. ASKING WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO GIVE YOU MONEY FOR THIS AND THAT IS NOT BEING FREE TIEING YOURSELVES TO MULTI NATIONALS IS NOT FREE THAT IS STILL SLAVERY EXPLOITATION.. WE NEED OUR FRIENDS TO TRANSFER TECHNOLOGY TO AFRICA BULLD PLANTS THAT MAKES TRACTRORS CARS AIRPLANE PARTS COMPUTERS SHIPS WE CAN ATKE IT FROMTHERE.. WE NEED BIG LABAORATORIES FOR EXPERIMENTS FOR OUR UPCOMMING SVCIENTIST WE NEED ASTRONOUTS PLENTY FO P[ILOTS SHIP CAPTAIS ENGINEERS IN VEVERY CONCEBIEABLE ACTIVITY IN LIFE.. SHOULD WE EMBARK ON THIS UN MISSION OF WARS AND MILITARY UNITS TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND MILITARISE AFRICA THEN WE ARE SUCCUMBING TO FAILURE!!!!!!!!