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Remarks by Ambassador DAI Bing at the UN Security Council Briefing on Mali

2022-10-18 18:00

Mr. President

I welcome Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop to the meeting. I thank SRSG El Ghassim Wane for his briefing. From the briefing, we can see that there has been positive progress regarding political transition, peace process, and combating terrorism in Mali. This is a result of the joint efforts by the government, regional organizations, and the international community. It is important to consolidate the current positive momentum and continuously inject impetus for the ultimate goal of achieving durable peace and development.

First, multiple measures are required to promote the political process. The Malian government has developed the transitional road map, set up constitutional organizations, and started the constitutional work while carrying out a political consultation. These are visible progress. We hope that all parties will work on this basis, implement the outcome of the Assises Nationales de Refondation, and put forward the political reform to create good conditions for the transition. As the Secretary-General report pointed out, consolidating the authority of the central government, improving the judiciary, improving people's livelihood, and promoting ethnic harmony are of equal importance and require further efforts. The international community and MINUSMA are called upon to support the government in forming a development strategy that fits the national context, enhancing its capacity building and promoting sustainable development to lay a solid foundation for durable peace. We are pleased to see that upon the lifting of sanctions by ECOWAS, Mali has rejoined the big family of West Africa. We hope the regional countries will work towards the same goal and jointly maintain regional peace and unity.

Second, increase efforts to combat terrorism and maintain stability. The concerned parties have recently held a high-level decision-making meeting to promote the peace agreement and the DDR implementation. The Malian government has been fully engaged in combating terrorism and has unveiled a comprehensive Strategy for the Stabilization of the Centre, and these efforts need to be acknowledged. The international community should provide more concrete support for the government in combating terrorism and respect the country's right to carry out its external cooperation in terms of security independently. The MINUSMA needs to support the implementation of the peace agreement to maintain central stability and protect civilians. Those are its core mandate and endeavor. In delivering its human rights mandate, the Mission should seek the views of the Malian government and remain in close cooperation with the Malian government. Combating terrorism in Mali has a direct bearing on the overall stability of the Sahel region. The Secretary-General and the Chair of the African Union Commission have jointly asked the former president of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the Sahel issue. China supported this effort and expected that the review would take on board the concerns of all parties and offer practical recommendations for cooperation between the Sahel and West Africa in combating terrorism.

Third, it is important to increase coordination and communication between the MINUSMA and the different sectors of society to form a synergy. The Mission has done a lot of work supporting a political transition, providing logistics and operational support to the Malian army, and protecting civilians. China is pleased to see that the Mission has properly solved the issue of personnel rotating with the Malian government. We hope both sides will continue to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust and jointly maintain the Status of Forces Agreement to create good conditions for the Mission. Since its establishment, the Mission has grown in size, with the mandates increasing in all sectors. That, to some degree, has affected its ability and resources to fully implement its core mandate. We hope that the Secretariat, taking the assessment of the Mission into consideration, fully taking on board the view of the Malian government and taking into account the needs and priorities of the country, puts forward proposals to streamline and optimize the mandate of the Mission and provides a reasonable arrangement of personnel and resources to enhance its ability to deliver its mandate and the effectiveness of its action.

It is heartbreaking that several Chadian peacekeepers were attacked and killed on Monday. The Mission should enhance its ability to deal with IEDs and medical evacuation. As Chair of the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers, China, together with Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Rwanda, held a seminar on the issue last month and obtained good outcomes. We must transform the member states' consensus into concrete actions within the Mission to enhance the peacekeepers' protection.

China attaches great importance to Mali's legitimate concerns regarding national sovereignty, security, and development and supports the Malian people to choose their development path that is in line with their national conditions. Together with the international community, China is ready to significantly contribute to the country's efforts to maintain its national unity and protect peace and development.

Thank you, Mr. President.


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