Security Council, Adopting Resolution 2227 (2015), Extends Mandate of Multidimensional Mission in Mali until 30 June 2016, Adding Military Observers to Monitor Ceasefire
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) until 30 June 2016, within the authorized troop ceiling of 11,240 military personnel, including, for the first time, at least 40 military observers in order to monitor and supervise the country’s ceasefire.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2227 (2015), the 15-member body decided that the Mission should perform tasks related to, among others, the monitoring and supervision of ceasefire arrangements; supporting the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali; protecting civilians under imminent threat of physical violence; and assisting the Malian authorities in their efforts to promote and protect human rights.
Also by the text, the 15-member body expressed its concern at the slow pace of deployment of personnel and equipment of MINUSMA, which had seriously hindered the Mission’s ability to fully implement its mandate since its establishment on 25 April 2013. It nevertheless welcomed efforts by the Secretary-General to accelerate that deployment and to provide adequate training to improve the security and safety of MINUSMA’s personnel in a complex security environment.
Emphasizing that the Malian authorities had the primary responsibility for the country’s stability and security, the Council welcomed the signing of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali in 2015 by the Government, the Plateforme and coalition armed groups, and the Coordination des Mouvements de l’Azawad coalition of armed groups, as a historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Mali. It strongly condemned the violations of the ceasefire by the Malian parties, which had led to loss of life, including of civilians, and displacement and undermined the peace process. It also welcomed the signing of the Arrangement sécuritaire pour une cessation des hostilités on 5 June 2015 by the Government of Mali and the Coordination armed groups.
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, it urged the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to fulfil their commitments under the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, and further urged all parties to immediately and fully respect and uphold the ceasefire agreement of 23 May 2014, the Arrangement sécuritaire pour une cessation des hostilités of 5 June 2015, and the declarations of cessation of hostilities of 19 February 2015 and 24 July 2014.
The Council further expressed its readiness to consider targeted sanctions against those who undermined the peace process, notably by resuming hostilities, violating the ceasefire, or taking actions to obstruct or threaten the implementation of the Agreement, as well as those who, among other things, attacked and took actions to threaten MINUSMA, international security presences or humanitarian personnel. It demanded that all armed groups in Mali put aside their arms, cease hostilities, reject the recourse to violence, cut off all ties with terrorist organizations and recognize, without conditions, the unity and territorial integrity of the Malian State.
In a related provision, the Council requested the Secretary-General to take all necessary steps to enable MINUSMA to reach its full operational capacity without further delay. It urged the Mission’s troop- and police-contributing countries to expedite the procurement and deployment of remaining contingent-owned equipment and urged Member States to provide troops and police that had adequate capabilities, training and equipment. It authorized the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to ensure inter-mission cooperation, notably between MINUSMA, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), including appropriate transfer of troops and assets to MINUSMA.
It authorized French troops, within the limits of their capacities and areas of deployment, to use all necessary means until the end of MINUSMA’s mandate, to intervene in support of the elements of the Mission when under imminent and serious threat upon request of the Secretary-General. It requested France to report to it on implementation of that mandate.
Finally, it called upon the Malian authorities, with the assistance of MINUSMA and international partners, to address the issue of the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons.
Following the resolution’s adoption, the representative of Mali, Sékou Kasse, said that the Council had shaped the new MINUSMA mandate around the effective and integral implementation of the Peace and Reconciliation Accord for Mali, as requested by the country when it addressed the Council recently. In particular, the Council had taken into account the security aspects of the agreement, and stressed the importance of using all available resources to prevent the return of terrorist groups. Given the hard-won agreement reached between parties, it would be appalling if it was wiped out by enemies of peace who carried out terrorist acts in the country. He cited an attack perpetrated on 27 June. In that vein, he expressed solidarity and compassion with Chad and Tunisia, and all other countries that had recently been victimized by terrorism.
The meeting began at 10 a.m. and ended at 10:10 a.m.
Resolution
The full text of resolution 2227 (2015) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular 2164 (2014) and 2100 (2013), its presidential statements of 6 February 2015 (S/PRST/2015/5), 28 July 2014 (S/PRST/2014/15) and 23 January 2014 (S/PRST/2014/2), and its press statements of 18 June 2015, 29 May 2015, 1 May 2015 and 10 April 2015,
“Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Mali, emphasizing that the Malian authorities have primary responsibility for the provision of stability and security throughout the territory of Mali, and underscoring the importance of achieving national ownership of peace- and security-related initiatives,
“Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, including consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate, and recognizing that the mandate of each peacekeeping mission is specific to the need and situation of the country concerned,
“Recognizing the legitimate aspiration of all Malian citizens to enjoy lasting peace and development,
“Welcoming the signing of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (« the Agreement ») in 2015 by the Government of Mali, the Plateforme coalition of armed groups, and the Coordination des Mouvements de l’Azawad coalition of armed groups, as a historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Mali, and commending the signatories of the Agreement for the courage they demonstrated in this regard,
“Considering the Agreement as balanced and comprehensive, aiming to address the political, institutional, governance, security, development and reconciliation dimensions of the crisis in Mali, respecting the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Malian State,
“Underscoring that the responsibility for the full and effective implementation of the Agreement, which has to be Malian-led and Malian-owned, rests with the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, and will be crucial to contribute to lasting peace in Mali, drawing lessons from previous peace agreements,
“Commending the role played by Algeria and other members of the international mediation team to facilitate the inter-Malian dialogue which led to the signing of the Agreement by the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, welcoming the signing of the Agreement by the members of the international mediation team, and calling on the members of the Comité de Suivi de l’Accord (CSA) and other relevant international partners to support the implementation of the Agreement and to maintain close coordination to support lasting peace in Mali,
“Stressing the need for clear, detailed and concrete oversight mechanisms to support the implementation of the Agreement, notably through the CSA and its four subcommittees dealing with political and institutional issues, defence and security, economic, social and cultural development, and reconciliation, justice and humanitarian issues,
“Strongly condemning the violations of the ceasefire by the Malian parties that occurred in Mali, which led to loss of life, including of civilians, and displacement and undermined the peace process, welcoming the signing of the Arrangement sécuritaire pour une cessation des hostilités on 5 June 2015 by the Government of Mali and the Coordination armed groups, and recalling the ceasefire agreement of 23 May 2014, and the declarations of cessation of hostilities of 19 February 2015 and 24 July 2014 signed by the Malian parties,
“Reiterating its strong support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to assist the Malian authorities and the Malian people in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to their country, noting the development of the Protection of Civilians strategy of MINUSMA, bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities to protect the population,
“Commending troop and police contributing countries of MINUSMA for their contribution, paying tribute to the peacekeepers who risk their lives in this respect, strongly condemning attacks against peacekeepers, and underlining that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law,
“Expressing its concern at the slow pace of deployment of personnel and equipment of MINUSMA, which has seriously hindered its ability to fully implement its mandate since its establishment on 25 April 2013 by its resolution 2100 (2013), welcoming efforts by the Secretary-General to accelerate the deployment of troops and equipment, as well as to provide adequate training, to improve the security and safety of MINUSMA’s personnel in a complex security environment that includes asymmetric threats, notably the use of mines and IEDs,
“Strongly condemning the activities in Mali and in the Sahel region of terrorist organisations, including Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar Eddine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), which continue to operate in Mali and constitute a threat to peace and security in the region and beyond, and human rights abuses and violence against civilians, notably women and children, committed in the North of Mali and in the region by terrorist groups,
“Stressing that terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States, and regional and international organisations to impede, impair, and isolate the terrorist threat, and reaffirming that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality or civilization,
“Recalling the listing of MUJAO, the Organisation of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, Ansar Eddine and its leader Iyad Ag Ghali, and Al Mourabitoune on the Al-Qaida sanctions list established by the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), and reiterating its readiness, under the above-mentioned regime, to sanction further individuals, groups, undertakings and entities who are associated with Al-Qaida and other listed entities and individuals, including AQIM, MUJAO, Ansar Eddine and Al Mourabitoune, in accordance with the established listing criteria,
“Welcoming the continued action by the French forces, at the request of the Malian authorities, to deter the terrorist threat in the North of Mali,
“Noting with growing concern the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region, underscoring the importance of achieving regional ownership and response in this regard, welcoming in this context the establishment of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5) and the Nouakchott process on the enhancement of the security cooperation and the operationalization of the African peace and security architecture in the Sahel and Sahara region (APSA), as well as the commitment made by the African leaders at the Malabo Summit of 26-27 June 2014 and steps taken by the African Union to operationalize the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC), and welcoming the efforts of the French forces to support G5 Member States to increase regional counter-terrorism cooperation,
“Expressing its continued concern over the serious threats posed by transnational organized crime in the Sahel region, including arms and drug trafficking, human trafficking, and its increasing links, in some cases, with terrorism, underlining the responsibility of the countries in the region in addressing these threats, and welcoming the stabilizing effect of the international presence in Mali, including MINUSMA,
“Strongly condemning the incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking with the aim of raising funds or gaining political concessions, reiterating its determination to prevent kidnapping and hostage-taking in the Sahel region, in accordance with applicable international law, recalling its resolution 2133 (2014) and including its call upon all Member States to prevent terrorists from benefitting directly or indirectly from the payment of ransoms or from political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages and, in this regard, noting the publication of the Global Counterterrorism Forum’s (GCTF) “Algiers Memorandum on Good Practices on Preventing and Denying the Benefits of Kidnapping for Ransom by Terrorists”,
“Strongly condemning all abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those involving extrajudicial and summary executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions and ill-treatment of prisoners, sexual and gender-based violence, as well as killing, maiming, recruitment and use of children, attacks against schools and hospitals, calling on all parties to respect the civilian character of schools as such in accordance with international humanitarian law and to cease unlawful and arbitrary detention of all children, and calling upon all parties to bring an end to such violations and abuses and to comply with their obligations under applicable international law,
“Reiterating, in this regard, that all perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable and that some of such acts referred to in the paragraph above may amount to crimes under the Rome Statute and taking note that, acting upon the referral of the transitional authorities of Mali dated 13 July 2012, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opened, on 16 January 2013, an investigation into alleged crimes committed on the territory of Mali since January 2012, and recalling the importance of assistance and cooperation, by all parties concerned, with the Court,
“Emphasizing the need for all parties to uphold and respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in order to ensure the continued provision of humanitarian assistance, the safety and protection of civilians receiving assistance and the security of humanitarian personnel operating in Mali, and stressing the importance of humanitarian assistance being delivered on the basis of need,
“Underscoring that Malian civilian control and oversight as well as further consolidation of the Malian Defence and Security Forces are important to ensure Mali’s long-term security and stability and to protect the people of Mali,
“Commending the role of the European Union Training Mission (EUTM Mali) in Mali in providing training and advice for the Malian Defence and Security Forces, including contributing to the strengthening of civilian authority and respect for human rights, and of the European Union Capacity Building Mission (EUCAP Sahel Mali) in providing strategic advice and training for the Police, Gendarmerie and Garde nationale in Mali,
“Calling upon the Malian authorities to address immediate and long-term needs, encompassing security, governance reform, development and humanitarian issues, to resolve the crisis in Mali and to ensure that the Agreement translates into concrete benefits for the local populations, notably through the priority projects outlined in the Agreement, calling on the international community to provide broad support in this regard, and stressing the need for enhanced coordination of these international efforts,
“Commending the contributions already made following donors’ conference held in Brussels in May 2013 and toward the 2015 Consolidated Appeal for Mali, and urging all Member States and other donors to contribute generously to humanitarian operations,
“Remaining seriously concerned over the significant ongoing food and humanitarian crisis in Mali, and over the insecurity which hinders humanitarian access, exacerbated by the presence of armed groups, terrorist and criminal networks, and their activities, the presence of landmines as well as the continued proliferation of weapons from within and outside the region that threatens the peace, security, and stability of States in this region, and condemning attacks against humanitarian personnel,
“Determining that the situation in Mali continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,
“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
“Framework for peace and reconciliation and the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali
“1. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to fulfil their commitments under the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, and in this regard, further urges them to continue to engage constructively with sustained political will and in good faith to achieve the full and effective implementation of the Agreement;
“2. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to immediately and fully respect and uphold the ceasefire agreement of 23 May 2014, the Arrangement sécuritaire pour une cessation des hostilités of 5 June 2015, and the declarations of cessation of hostilities of 19 February 2015 and 24 July 2014;
“3. Expresses its readiness to consider targeted sanctions against those who take actions to obstruct or threaten the implementation of the Agreement, those who resume hostilities and violate the ceasefire, as well as those who attack and take actions to threaten MINUSMA;
“4. Demands that all armed groups in Mali put aside their arms, cease hostilities, reject the recourse to violence, cut off all ties with terrorist organisations and recognize, without conditions, the unity and territorial integrity of the Malian State;
“5. Urges the Malian authorities to further combat impunity and, in this regard, to ensure that all perpetrators of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those involving sexual violence, are held accountable, and also urges the Malian authorities to continue to cooperate with the International Criminal Court, in accordance with Mali’s obligations under the Rome Statute;
“6. Urges all parties in Mali to cooperate fully with the deployment and activities of MINUSMA, in particular by ensuring the safety, security and freedom of movement of MINUSMA’s personnel with unhindered and immediate access throughout the territory of Mali to enable MINUSMA to carry out fully its mandate;
“7. Requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali to continue to use his good offices, particularly to play a key role to support and oversee the implementation of the Agreement by the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, notably by heading the Secretariat of the Comité de suivi de l’Accord (CSA), and in particular, to assist the Malian parties in identifying and prioritizing implementation steps, consistent with the provisions of the Agreement and with paragraph 14 (b) and (c) below, and affirms its intention to facilitate, support and follow closely the implementation of the Agreement;
“8. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to cooperate fully and coordinate with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and MINUSMA, in particular on the implementation of the Agreement;
“9. Calls on the members of the CSA and other relevant international partners to support the implementation of the Agreement, and to coordinate their efforts with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and MINUSMA in this regard, and recognizes the role of the CSA to reconcile disagreements between the Malian parties;
“10. Encourages the Government of Mali to take the necessary steps for the effective implementation of the Agreement, including political and institutional reforms;
“11. Calls on all relevant United Nations agencies, as well as regional, bilateral and multilateral partners to provide the necessary technical and financial support to contribute to the implementation of the Agreement, in particular its provisions pertaining to socioeconomic and cultural development;
“MINUSMA’s mandate
“12. Decides to extend the mandate of MINUSMA until 30 June 2016 within the authorized troop ceiling of 11,240 military personnel, including at least 40 military observers to monitor and supervise the ceasefire, as well as reserve battalions capable of deploying rapidly within the country, and 1,440 police personnel;
“13. Authorizes MINUSMA to take all necessary means to carry out its mandate, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment;
“14. Decides that MINUSMA shall perform the following tasks:
(a) Ceasefire
“To support, monitor and supervise the implementation of the ceasefire arrangements and confidence-building measures by the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, to devise and support, as needed, local mechanisms with a view to consolidate these arrangements and measures, as well as to report to the Security Council on any violations of the ceasefire, consistent with the provisions of the Agreement, especially its Part III and Annex 2;
(b) Support to the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali
(i) To support the implementation of the political and institutional reforms provided for by the Agreement, especially in its Part II;
(ii) To support the implementation of the defence and security measures of the Agreement, notably to support, monitor and supervise the ceasefire, to support the cantonment, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups, as well as the progressive redeployment of the Malian Defence and Security Forces especially in the North of Mali, taking into account the security conditions, and to coordinate international efforts, in close collaboration with other bilateral partners, donors and international organisations, including the European Union, engaged in these fields, to rebuild the Malian security sector, within the framework set out by the Agreement, especially its Part III and Annex 2;
(iii) To support the implementation of the reconciliation and justice measures of the Agreement, especially in its Part V, notably the establishment of an international commission of inquiry, in consultation with the parties;
(iv) To support, within its resources and areas of deployment, the conduct of inclusive, free, fair and transparent local elections, including through the provision of appropriate logistical and technical assistance and effective security arrangements, consistent with the provisions of the Agreement;
(c) Good offices and reconciliation
“To exercise good offices, confidence-building and facilitation at the national and local levels, in order to support dialogue with and among all stakeholders towards reconciliation and social cohesion and to encourage and support the full implementation of the Agreement by the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, including by promoting the participation of civil society, including women’s organizations, as well as youth organizations;
(d) Protection of civilians and stabilization
(i) To protect, without prejudice to the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities, civilians under imminent threat of physical violence;
(ii) In support of the Malian authorities, to stabilize the key population centres and other areas where civilians are at risk, notably in the North of Mali, including through long-range patrols, and, in this context, to deter threats and take active steps to prevent the return of armed elements to those areas;
(iii) To provide specific protection for women and children affected by armed conflict, including through Child Protection Advisors and Women Protection Advisors, and address the needs of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict;
(iv) To assist the Malian authorities with the removal and destruction of mines and other explosive devices and weapons and ammunition management;
(e) Promotion and protection of human rights
(i) To assist the Malian authorities in their efforts to promote and protect human rights, including to support, as feasible and appropriate, the efforts of the Malian authorities, without prejudice to their responsibilities, to bring to justice those responsible for serious abuses or violations of human rights or violations of international humanitarian law, in particular war crimes and crimes against humanity in Mali, taking into account the referral by the transitional authorities of Mali of the situation in their country since January 2012 to the International Criminal Court;
(ii) To monitor, help investigate and report to the Security Council and publicly, as appropriate, on violations of international humanitarian law and on violations and abuses of human rights, including violations and abuses against children and sexual violence in armed conflict committed throughout Mali and to contribute to efforts to prevent such violations and abuses;
(f) Humanitarian assistance and projects for stabilization
(i) In support of the Malian authorities, to contribute to the creation of a secure environment for the safe, civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance, in accordance with humanitarian principles, and the voluntary, safe and dignified return or local integration or resettlement of internally displaced persons and refugees in close coordination with humanitarian actors;
(ii) In support of the Malian authorities, to contribute to the creation of a secure environment for projects aimed at stabilizing the North of Mali, including quick impact projects;
(g) Protection, safety and security of United Nations personnel
“To protect the United Nations personnel, notably uniformed personnel, installations and equipment and ensure the safety, security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel;
(h) Support for cultural preservation
“To assist the Malian authorities, as necessary and feasible, in protecting from attack the cultural and historical sites in Mali, in collaboration with UNESCO;
“Deployment and capacities of MINUSMA
“15. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary steps, including through the full use of existing authorities and at his discretion, to enable MINUSMA to reach its full operational capacity without further delay;
“16. Requests the Secretary-General to take all appropriate additional measures to enhance the safety and security of, and basic services for, MINUSMA’s personnel, in particular uniformed personnel, including through enhancing MINUSMA’s intelligence capacities, providing training and equipment to counter explosive devices, the generation of adequate military capabilities to secure MINUSMA’s logistical supply routes, as well as more effective casualty and medical evacuation procedures, to enable MINUSMA to execute effectively its mandate in a complex security environment that includes asymmetric threats;
“17. Urges MINUSMA’s troop and police contributing countries to expedite the procurement and deployment of remaining contingent-owned equipment and urges Member States to provide troops and police that have adequate capabilities, training and equipment, including enablers, specific to the operating environment, in order for MINUSMA to fulfil its mandate and welcomes the assistance of Member States to MINUSMA’s troop and police contributing countries in this regard;
“18. Calls upon Member States, especially those in the region, to ensure the free, unhindered and expeditious movement to and from Mali of all personnel, as well as equipment, provisions, supplies and other goods, which are for the exclusive and official use of MINUSMA, in order to facilitate the timely and cost-effective delivery of the logistical supply of MINUSMA;
“19. Encourages the Secretary-General to keep the Mission concept under review, in order to maximize the positive impact of MINUSMA’s resources, and requests the Secretary-General to keep it informed on its implementation;
“Cross-cutting issues of MINUSMA’s mandate
“20. Requests MINUSMA to further enhance its interaction with the civilian population, as well as its communication with the Malian Defence and Security Forces, including through the development of an effective communication strategy and MINUSMA radio, to raise awareness and understanding about its mandate and activities;
“21. Requests MINUSMA to ensure that any support provided to non-United Nations security forces is provided in strict compliance with the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces (HRDDP);
“22. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure full compliance of MINUSMA with the United Nations zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuses and to keep the Council fully informed if such cases of misconduct occur;
“23. Requests MINUSMA to take fully into account gender considerations as a cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the Malian authorities in ensuring the full and effective participation, involvement and representation of women at all levels and at an early stage of the stabilization phase, including the security sector reform and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, as well as in reconciliation and electoral processes and further requests MINUSMA to assist the parties to ensure women’s full and active participation in the implementation of the Agreement;
“24. Requests MINUSMA to take fully into account child protection as a cross-cutting issue throughout its mandate and to assist the Malian authorities in ensuring that the protection of children’s rights is taken into account, inter alia, in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes and in security sector reform in order to end and prevent violations and abuses against children;
“25. Requests MINUSMA to consider the environmental impacts of its operations when fulfilling its mandated tasks and, in this context, to manage them as appropriate and in accordance with applicable and relevant General Assembly resolutions and United Nations rules and regulations, and to operate mindfully in the vicinity of cultural and historical sites;
“Inter-mission cooperation in West Africa
“26. Authorizes the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps in order to ensure inter-mission cooperation, notably between MINUSMA, UNMIL and UNOCI, appropriate transfers of troops and their assets from other United Nations missions to MINUSMA, subject to the following conditions: (i) the Council’s information and approval, including on the scope and duration of the transfer, (ii) the agreement of the troop-contributing countries and (iii) the security situation where these United Nations missions are deployed and without prejudice to the performance of their mandates, and, in this regard, encourages further steps to enhance inter-mission cooperation in the West African region, as necessary and feasible, and to report thereon for consideration as appropriate;
“French forces mandate
“27. Authorizes French forces, within the limits of their capacities and areas of deployment, to use all necessary means until the end of MINUSMA’s mandate as authorized in this resolution, to intervene in support of elements of MINUSMA when under imminent and serious threat upon request of the Secretary-General, and requests France to report to the Council on the implementation of this mandate in Mali and to coordinate its reporting with the reporting by the Secretary-General referred to in paragraph 35 below;
“G5 Sahel and African Union contribution
“28. Encourages the Member States of the Sahel region to improve coordination to combat recurrent threats in the Sahel, including terrorism, together with transnational organized crime and other illicit activities such as drug trafficking, welcomes the efforts of the Member States of the Sahel to strengthen border security and regional cooperation, including through the G5 Sahel and the Nouakchott process on the enhancement of the security cooperation and the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahel and Sahara region (APSA), as well as the commitment made by the African leaders at the Malabo Summit of 26-27 June 2014 and steps taken by the African Union to operationalize the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC), and encourages the Member States of the African Union to generate substantive pledges to the ACIRC;
“International cooperation on the Sahel
“29. Calls upon all Member States, notably Sahel, West Africa and Maghreb States, as well as regional, bilateral and multilateral partners, to enhance their coordination to develop inclusive and effective strategies to combat in a comprehensive and integrated manner the activities of terrorist groups crossing borders and seeking safe havens in the Sahel region, notably AQIM, MUJAO, Ansar Eddine and Al Mourabitoune, and to prevent the expansion of those groups as well as to limit the proliferation of all arms and transnational organized crime;
“30. Reiterates its call for the rapid and effective implementation, in consultation with regional organisations, of regional strategies encompassing security, governance, development, human rights and humanitarian issues such as the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel region, and recalls in this regard the good offices role of its Special Envoy for the Sahel in order to enhance regional and interregional cooperation, in close coordination with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa;
“European Union contribution
“31. Calls on the European Union, notably its Special Representative for the Sahel and its EUTM Mali and EUCAP Sahel Mali missions, to coordinate closely with MINUSMA, and other bilateral partners of Mali engaged to assist the Malian authorities in the Security Sector Reform (SSR), as provided for by the Agreement and consistent with paragraph 14 (b) (ii) above;
“Obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law
“32. Urges all parties to comply with obligations under international humanitarian law to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, facilities and relief consignments, and take all required steps to allow and facilitate the full, safe, immediate and unimpeded access of humanitarian actors for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all people in need, while respecting the United Nations humanitarian guiding principles and applicable international law;
“33. Reiterates that the Malian authorities have primary responsibility to protect civilians in Mali, further recalls its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012), 2143 (2014) and 2225 (2015) on Children And Armed Conflict and its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013) on Women, Peace and Security and calls upon MINUSMA and all military forces in Mali to take them into account and to abide by international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law, and recalls the importance of training in this regard, and urges all parties to implement the conclusions on Children And Armed Conflict in Mali adopted by the Security Council working group on 7 July 2014;
“Small arms and light weapons
“34. Calls upon the Malian authorities, with the assistance of MINUSMA, consistent with paragraph 14 above, and international partners, to address the issue of the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in accordance with the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials and the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, in order to ensure the safe and effective management, storage and security of their stockpiles of small arms and light weapons and the collection and/or destruction of surplus, seized, unmarked or illicitly held weapons, and further stresses the importance of the full implementation of its resolutions 2017 (2011), 2117 (2013) and 2220 (2015);
“Reports by the Secretary-General and review of the mandate
“35. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council every three months after the adoption of this resolution on the implementation of this resolution, focusing on the progress in the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and on MINUSMA’s efforts to support it;
“36. Affirms its intention to consider reviewing the mandate of MINUSMA before 30 June 2016, as necessary, especially in light of progress made on the implementation of the Agreement;
“37. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”