UNITED NATIONS, June 16. /TASS/. Any changes in the modality of the work of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) must be based on the opinion of the receiving state, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Friday.
"In light of the Security Council discussion of the MINUSMA’s mandate extension, we would like to recall that the Malians expressed dissatisfaction with the variants of its reshaping that were suggested by UN secretary general in the mission’s strategic review," he said. "Indeed, the problem is not in the number of peacekeepers but in what they do. One of the key tasks for the Malian government is fighting against terrorism, which is beyond the mission’s mandate".
According to the Russian diplomat, the fundamental element of the mission’s mandate is to protect civilians and offer corresponding assistance to Mali. "Excessive concentration on internal political aspects and human rights matters in the peacekeepers’ activities impairs its key tasks of maintaining peace and security in the country," he said. "In the context of the discussion of possible variants of reshaping the mission’s mandate, we think that any proposals on changing the modality of the mission’s work must be based on the opinion of the receiving state."
Reuters said earlier in the day that the Malian government had asked the UN Security Council to withdraw the MINUSMA force "without delay." According to Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, the mission has failed to ensure security in the country. Moreover, in his words, there is "a crisis of confidence between Malian authorities and MINUSMA".
The UN Security Council is to make a decision on the mission’s mandate on June 29.
MINUSMA was established in the spring of 2013 by a UN Security Council resolution to help Malian authorities strengthen security in the country. It currently has more than 15,000 employees. More than 280 mission’s employees have been killed in Mali since 2013.