S/2020/625 Security Council

In accordance with the procedure agreed upon by the members of the Security Council in the light of the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus disease pandemic, as set out in the letter dated 27 March 2020 from the President of the Security Council addressed to all members of the Council (S/2020/253), I would like to draw your attention to the following: The members of the Council have discussed the draft resolution submitted France in connection with the agenda item “The situation in Mali” (S/2020/600). The draft resolution has been put into blue (see enclosure). In my capacity as President of the Security Council, I hereby put the above- mentioned draft resolution to a vote. The non-extendable 24-hour voting period for this draft resolution will begin at 2 p.m. on Friday, 26 June 2020. The non-extendable 24-hour voting period will expire at 2 p.m. on Monday, 29 June 2020. Please submit your vote (in favour, against or abstention) on the draft resolution , as well as your possible explanation of vote, by sending a letter signed by the Permanent Representative or Chargé d’affaires a.i. within the non-extendable 24-hour voting period set out above to the Director of the Security Council Affairs Division of the United Nations Secretariat (egian@un.org). It is my intention to circulate a letter listing the outcome of the vote within three hours of the conclusion of the 24-hour voting period. I also intend to convene a video-teleconference of the Security Council to announce the outcome of the vote shortly after the conclusion of the voting period, on the afternoon of Monday, 29 June 2020.

The Niger would like to thank France, in its capacity as penholder, for the preparation and presentation of resolution 2531 (2020), on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). We also commend the delegations of the other members of the Council for their constructive spirit during the negotiations. The Niger, as a country impacted by the crisis in Mali, agreed to join the consensus by voting in favour of resolution 2531 (2020), convinced that support for the United Nations and for bilateral and multilateral partners is essential to the search for a lasting solution to this crisis. We welcome the efforts of the Government of Mali to stabilize the centre and the north of the country. The importance of MINUSMA in this hitherto volatile context is no longer in doubt, both for the lasting stabilization of Mali and for its salutary support for the efforts of the Sahel region. It is in that regard that we continue to call for more MINUSMA — a robust MINUSMA that is free from any counterproductive differences of opinion within the Council. With regard to MINUSMA’s support for the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel), we welcome the progress that we have been able to achieve in this resolution, which will have an immediate operational impact for the Joint Force. However, given the gravity of the situation, more could have been done. It is clear that this support falls far short of what would be needed to eradicate the scourge of terrorism. The longer we delay in mobilizing the necessary support, the more complicated the situation will become. There is an urgent need to update resolution 2391 (2017), in this regard. Indeed, peace is a global public good. The security threat facing the Sahel today is not only a local problem; it is global in scale and scope. The efforts of the Sahelian States must therefore be adequately accompanied, both bilaterally and multilaterally, particularly in their collective initiative through the G-5 Sahel. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that in this asymmetrical war, terrorists support and reinforce one another in their own interests throughout the Sahel. The Niger would recall the support options for the G-5 Sahel Joint Force recommended by the Secretary-General in his report (S/2020/476). As an interim measure, it advocated option 1, consisting of the establishment of a United Nations support office that would provide logistical and operational support, including transport, as well as tactical and strategic support to the Joint Force. We are in full agreement with the Secretary-General and call on Council members to be ready to consider this issue as soon as possible. While we understand the concerns of some Council members that support for the Joint Force should not affect the ability of MINUSMA to implement its mandate and strategic priorities, we believe that MINUSMA and the Joint Force play mutually beneficial roles and should be complementary. On the other hand, the Niger and all countries of the Sahel remain concerned about respect for human rights issues, which is a clear prerequisite for ensuring the necessary confidence among the population and thus the effectiveness and legitimacy of the difficult combat that our defence and security forces and the Joint Force are carrying out. That willingness is reflected in the measures taken to protect S/2020/625 peoples through the commitment of our countries to the human rights compliance framework. In view of our clearly expressed commitment on this issue, the Council should be careful not to send a signal that would discourage certain partner countries from joining the Sahel alliance and encourage our enemies, the armed terrorist groups, to take advantage of the situation.

The United Kingdom welcomes the adoption of resolution 2531 (2020) to renew the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for a further 12 months. The United Kingdom remains a strong supporter of MINUSMA and of the crucial role that the Mission plays in promoting peace and stability in Mali. The United Kingdom’s military deployment, planned to start later this year, is testament to our support for the Mission. We welcome the re-emphasis of the Mission’s two strategic priorities: driving forward and accelerating the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, and the protection of civilians in the centre. Both tasks are fundamental to lasting peace and stability in Mali. Meeting both of these priorities depends on full and committed respect for human rights and a redoubling of efforts to tackle conflict-related sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. We must continue to prioritize policies that ensure that the United Nations and its Member States meet these standards; these are critical to meeting mandates. We will continue to work for stronger adherence to the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces and an intensification of efforts to tackle conflict-related sexual violence and sexual exploitation and abuse. The United Kingdom would also like to take this opportunity to urge Council members not to lose sight of the primary objectives of the Mission. The Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel), including its Joint Force, is an important part of the solution to instability in Mali and the broader region. The United Kingdom is proud to have supported its operationalization. However, we believe that it is important for MINUSMA’s success — and its capacity to deliver for the population of Mali and the broader region — that the Mission be able to focus on its core peacekeeping tasks and objectives. With reference to paragraph 38, the United Kingdom would like to underline the importance of Mission activities complying with United Nations regulations and rules, and procurement activities complying with existing United Nations procurement procedures as set out in the United Nations Procurement Manual. Lastly, we share Council members’ deep-seated concerns at the trajectory of violence and hardship in Mali, further exacerbated by the coronavirus disease, and stand firmly behind MINUSMA in its efforts to adapt to the challenging circumstances it faces. We are committed to playing our part, now and in future. All Malians deserve to live their lives free of fear and insecurity and to reap the dividends of a lasting peace.

The United States would like to thank Council members for their collaboration during the negotiations. We are grateful to France for conducting the negotiations. As we renew the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for its eighth year, the Council and the international community must be honest about where we find ourselves in Mali and courageous about how we move forward. Mali remains at the centre of the region’s spreading instability. The Government of Mali and the signatory armed groups are far from implementing the 2015 Algiers Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. Security in Mali continues to deteriorate as terrorist groups expand their territory, fuel intercommunal conflict and kill at will. The victims of that terrible dynamic continue to be the Malian people, who often are forced to choose between living under radical armed groups, callous self-defence forces or a complacent Government, including security forces accused of abusing the civilians they are designed to protect. We commend MINUSMA’s role as the vanguard, since 2013, in establishing peace and security; however, this has come at a steep cost. Hundreds of peacekeepers have died and many more have been wounded, while MINUSMA’s budget continues to grow. Determined to change this dynamic and to make a difference for the people in the region, the United States began these negotiations with the objective of incentivizing the signatories to implement the Algiers accord and to increase the Mission’s efficiency and effectiveness, moving closer to a situation where the Mission is no longer needed. While we know that this mandate could have done far more to achieve those objectives, we firmly believe that it moves MINUSMA in the right direction. The mandate includes realistic benchmarks for the implementation of the Algiers accord designed to spur the parties to action and hold spoilers to account one year from now. The mandate also requests the Secretary-General to develop and deliver in full to the Security Council a road map that provides benchmarks and a proposed timeline for MINUSMA’s gradual transition and exit. Regional security entities such as the Group of Five for the Sahel (G-5 Sahel) Joint Force need not be fully operational to have an impact. The road map should include input from a wide range of stakeholders to provide diverse perspectives on the way forward. We all know that MINUSMA cannot remain in Mali indefinitely, and so we must encourage the parties to begin now to prepare for the time when they will assume full responsibility for the peace and stability of their country. There is no greater incentive for the parties than knowing that the responsibility for peace and stability lies with themselves. This new resolution — resolution 2531 (2020) — focuses on improving MINUSMA’s efficiency and effectiveness by supporting the Force Commander’s adaptation plan and increasing troop, police and civilian personnel quality through greater accountability and reporting by the Secretary-General. Improving peacekeeping performance remains a top priority for the United States. It begins with the Secretary-General holding his staff in New York accountable and continues with MINUSMA’s Special Representative to the Secretary-General holding personnel accountable for ensuring high performance. That commitment to excellence must be reflected at every level, including that of the lowest-ranking soldier or civilian staff officer who daily interacts with the community. S/2020/625 All personnel in MINUSMA, including civilian and military, must respect the dignity of all people, which is why we believe that every mandate should continue to thoroughly address the scourge of sexual exploitation and abuse. We must ensure that such allegations are investigated; likewise, it is vital for the relevant Member States to take preventive actions, ensure accountability and bring perpetrators to justice. We note that the resolution expands MINUSMA’s authority to place contracts outside of Mali as part of the technical agreement to support the G-5 Sahel Joint Force that is fully reimbursed by the European Union. We hesitated to support such an expansion because we do not want the G-5 Sahel Joint Force to become dependent on MINUSMA. The Force must begin building its own contracting and logistics capability within the G-5 Sahel Executive Secretariat. The United States intends to closely monitor the expansion of that mechanism. If at any time it becomes known that United Nations assessed contributions are going to support the mechanism, to include staffing or liability disputes, or it becomes known that the mechanism is violating United Nations procurement rules or that MINUSMA support is going to units that do not abide by the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces, the United States will quickly move to end the mechanism in its entirety. We also emphasize this is not a procurement precedent to be applied to other United Nations peacekeeping operations. We reiterate that individuals and entities designated by the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2374 (2017) concerning Mali must not benefit from any financial, operational or logistical support from United Nations entities deployed in Mali until they are removed from the list, or unless the Sanctions Committee authorizes an exemption request. The United Nations must speak with one voice on Mali, and MINUSMA’s efforts must not undermine the work of the Mali Sanctions Committee. Finally, we note that the resolution contains references to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and reiterate our longstanding and principled objection to any assertion of ICC jurisdiction over nationals of States that are not party to the Rome Statute, absent a Security Council referral or the consent of such States. Our objections regarding the ICC and the situation in Afghanistan are well known. The United States has historically been and will continue to be a strong supporter of meaningful accountability and justice for victims of atrocities through appropriate mechanisms. Perpetrators of atrocity crimes must face justice, but we must also be careful to recognize the right tool for each situation. Our position on the ICC in no way diminishes the United States’ commitment to supporting accountability for atrocity crimes, violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights. We salute the soldiers, police, civilians and contractors of MINUSMA who risk their lives for the people of Mali. The United States honours the sacrifices that they and their families make each day. We continue to emphasize the importance of the full, effective and meaningful participation of women within MINUSMA and the peace process as a whole. Most of all, we hope that the Malian parties see in this resolution a clear, collective message: that they must take urgent steps to implement the Algiers accord in order to create stability in Mali and opportunity for its people.