2023-07-13 23:42:02
The UN Mission must withdraw from Mali no later than December 31, 2023.
For some time now, a video that has gone viral on social media showed people inspecting armored vehicles from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (Minusma) stationed at its camp in Kidal. The commentary accompanying the video indicated that the UN Mission was selling its armored vehicles as a prelude to its planned withdrawal no later than December 31. An info denied by the Minusma.
On a post posted on its Twitter account, the Minusma indicated that it “does not sell armored vehicles”. According to the UN mission in Mali, it “regularly auctions non-hazardous waste as part of a transparent tendering procedure”.
She says that “the auctions started in mid-March”. Thus bidders, who had come to inspect the scrap “filmed and photographed damaged and unusable armored vehicles in the workshop”. These vehicles as the message states “are not part of the tender and are not available for sale or donation”, adding that “UN rules simply do not allow the sale or the donation of armored vehicles”.
This situation comes as since July 3, meetings between Malian officials and Minusma officials have multiplied in order to draw up a plan for the secure, orderly and coordinated withdrawal of the Mission by December 31, as stipulated. in UN Security Council Resolution 2690 (2023).
Moreover, the particularity of Kidal where this video seems to have been shot is that it is under the control of armed groups. The Malian State is only weakly represented there. Especially since in the past, it turned out that the jihadists who operate in the Sahel sometimes have armored vehicles. This situation shows that the already initiated withdrawal of the Minusma since July 1 will not be an easy task.
MD/ac/APA
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