Security Council Extends Mandate of Mission in Mali, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2364 (2017)
The Security Council today decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for one year, while maintaining its previous troop level and highlighting such priority tasks as the protection of civilians and support to the country’s defence and security forces.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2364 (2017), the Council decide to extend MINUSMA’s mandate until 30 June 2018 with a composition of up to 13,289 military personnel and 1,920 police personnel. It also urged the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to continue to engage constructively with sustained political will and in good faith to accelerate the implementation of the country’s Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation, signed in 2015.
By the terms of the resolution, the Council urged the parties to continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement of 23 May 2014 and other critical agreements, while expressing its readiness to consider targeted sanctions against those who resumed hostilities or took actions to obstruct or threaten the Agreement’s implementation. It further demanded that all armed groups in Mali put aside their arms, cease hostilities, reject the recourse to violence and cut off all ties with terrorist organizations, while calling on the Government to finalize a strategy for the development of the north of Mali and a national emergency plan.
With regard to the MINUSMA mandate, the Council decided that the Mission would focus on a number of priority tasks, including support to the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation; support to the redeployment of the reformed and reconstituted Malian Defence and Security Forces in the centre and north of the country; the protection of civilians, including against asymmetric threats; and countering asymmetric attacks in active defence of its mandate.
Additionally, it requested the Secretary-General to develop within 180 days a mission-wide strategic plan articulating a concrete phased approach to the implementation of the Mission’s mandate and presenting a transition plan with a view to handing over relevant tasks to the United Nations country team.
As Council members took the floor, speakers welcomed the renewal of the Mission’s mandate but voiced differing opinions about other elements of the resolution.
Francois Delattre (France), welcoming the constructive negotiations that had led to the text’s unanimous adoption, said it underscored the Council’s resolute commitment to support Mali and further strengthened MINUSMA’s robust mandate, including by giving it the task of providing operational and logistical support to the Malian Security and Defence Forces. Among other things, the resolution also reinforced cooperation between the Mission, the new “Group of 5” (G-5) Sahel force and French forces while respecting their respective mandates. It was now up to the Secretariat and troop- and police-contributing countries to provide the means for MINUSMA to implement its strong mandate on the ground.
Luis Bermúdez (Uruguay) said that, while his delegation had joined the consensus, it nevertheless had concerns that the draft had not been submitted to the Council’s silence procedure. Citing evidence of recent “systemic failings” and shortcomings in various peacekeeping missions — including the existence of undeclared national restrictions, the absence of command control, failure to obey orders, refusal to protect civilians and a lack of necessary equipment — he expressed regret that none of the recently negotiated language calling for consistency in the Council’s approval of peacekeeping mandates had been incorporated into today’s resolution.
Gorgui Ciss (Senegal) described MINUSMA’s quick reaction force as one of Senegal’s new expressions of solidarity with Mali.
Issa Konfourou (Mali) expressed his country’s sincere thanks for the Council action, as well as for the daily work of all MINUSMA personnel, paying tribute to all those who had fallen in the course of their endeavours. He said that through extending the robust mandate of MINUSMA, the international community had reaffirmed its commitment to the territorial integrity of Mali and the protection of its people. It was critical, however, that the Mission’s mandate be supported by adequate financing along with assistance for strengthening Mali’s own security forces, demobilization of ex-fighters and security-sector reform. He pledged his Government’s full commitment to the implementation of the peace process and described inclusive meetings that aimed to develop a realistic consensual calendar for important progress.
The meeting began at 5:50 p.m. and ended at 6:14 p.m.
Resolution
The full text of resolution 2364 (2017) reads as follows:
“The Security Council,
“Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular 2359 (2017), 2295 (2016) and 2100 (2013), and its press statements, including of 23 May 2017, concerning the situation in Mali,
“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, and also recalling its Presidential Statement of 25 November 2015 (S/PRST/2015/22),
“Recognizing the legitimate aspiration of all Malian citizens to enjoy lasting peace and development,
“Recognizing that the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (“the Agreement”) signed 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, and its continued implementation, represents a historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Mali,
“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 is crucial to contribute to lasting peace in Mali, drawing lessons from previous peace agreements,
“Recognizing the recent progress achieved for the implementation of the Agreement, including the holding of a Conference d’Entente nationale in March 2017 and the establishment of all interim administrations in the North, while expressing its deep concern over the persistent delays for its full implementation two years after it was concluded, and highlighting the pressing need to deliver tangible and visible peace dividends to the population in the North and other parts of Mali in order to keep the momentum of the Agreement,
“Urging the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to take urgent and concrete action to fully and sincerely deliver on their obligations under the Agreement without further delay, including obligations not implemented during the Interim period, in particular regarding the concrete activities of the interim authorities installed in the northern regions, the reform of the security sector, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process, the revision of the constitution through an inclusive and consultative dialogue, the fight against impunity as well as a genuine reconciliation process,
“Stressing the need for the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, following the Conference d’Entente nationale, to make further progress towards the agreement and adoption of a Charter for Peace, Unity and National Reconciliation, through an inclusive and consultative dialogue,
“Taking note of the upcoming holding of district, regional, legislative and presidential elections, municipal by-elections and a constitutional referendum in 2017 and 2018, stressing the need for these elections to be free, fair and inclusive, and further stressing the need to ensure adequate coordination of the electoral process with the implementation of the Agreement,
“Welcoming the adoption by the Government of Mali, in January 2016, of Mali’s second National Action Plan for the implementation of the Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), further welcoming in this regard the adoption by the Government of Mali, in December 2015, of a law requiring a 30 per cent quota for women in national institutions, and encouraging its implementation,
“Affirming its intention to facilitate, support and follow closely the implementation of the Agreement, commending the role played by Algeria and other members of the international mediation team to assist the Malian parties to implement the Agreement, and emphasizing the need for increased engagement by the members of the international mediation team,
“Expressing concern about the volatile security situation, especially the expansion of terrorist and other criminal activities into central and southern Mali as well as the intensification of intercommunal violence in the Centre of Mali,
“Noting that the slow progress in the implementation of the Agreement, particularly its defence and security provisions, as well as the delayed restructuring of the security sector, have hampered efforts to restore security in the North of Mali, and stressing the primary responsibility of the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement in order to improve the security situation across Mali and to forestall attempts by terrorist groups to derail the implementation of the Agreement,
“Noting the lack of progress in the creation and operationalization mechanisms to promote reconciliation and justice, including the Committee of Inquiry as well as the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Council, and expressing concerns that this delay risks creating a culture of impunity by allowing human rights abuses and violations to go unaddressed,
“Strongly condemning the activities in Mali and in the Sahel region of terrorist organisations, including MUJAO, Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Mourabitoune, Ansar Eddine, and associated individuals and groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims) and Islamic State in Greater Sahara and Ansaroul Islam, 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 Mali and in the region by terrorist groups,
“Condemning the attacks against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the Malian Defence and Security Forces, the European Union Training Mission Mali (EUTM Mali) and the French forces, that continue to be perpetrated 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,
“Stressing also that States must ensure that any measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, refugee law, and humanitarian law,
“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 sanctions list established by the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee 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, Al Mourabitoune and Ansar Eddine, in accordance with the established listing criteria,
“Welcoming the continued action by the French forces, at the request and in support of the Malian authorities, to deter the terrorist threat in the North of Mali,
“Emphasizing that security and stability in Mali are inextricably linked to that of the Sahel and West Africa regions, as well as the situation in Libya and in the North Africa region,
“Acknowledging the impact of the situation in Mali on peace and security in the Sahel, as well as on the wider West Africa and North African region,
“Expressing its continued concern over the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region, as well as the serious challenges posed by transnational organized crime in the Sahel region, including arms and drug trafficking, the smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons, and its increasing links, in some cases, with terrorism, and underscoring the responsibility of the countries in the region in addressing these threats and challenges,
“Recognizing the determination and ownership of the Governments of the Group of Five for the Sahel States (G5 Sahel) to address the impact of terrorism and transnational organized crime, including through the conduct of cross-border joint military counter-terrorist operations, welcoming the efforts of the French forces to support these operations, also welcoming the African Union Nouakchott process, and further welcoming the decision of the States of the Sahel and Sahara to establish a new counterterrorist centre with its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt,
“Welcoming the deployment of the Force Conjointe des Etats du G5 Sahel (FC‑G5S), and underlining that FC‑G5S efforts to counter the activities of terrorist groups and other organized criminal groups will contribute to create a more secure environment in the Sahel region, with a view to supporting MINUSMA fulfil its mandate to stabilize Mali, and commending the European Union’s pledge to provide support to the FC‑GS5 of 50 million Euros,
“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 resolutions 2133 (2014) and 2253 (2015), 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 in accordance with international humanitarian law and to cease detention of all children on national security charges in violation of applicable international law, and further 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, taking note that, acting upon the referral of the transitional authorities of Mali dated 13 July 2012, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened, on 16 January 2013, an investigation into alleged crimes committed on the territory of Mali since January 2012, and, in this regard, further taking note of the fact that on 27 September 2016 the ICC found Mr Al Mahdi guilty of the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against religious and historical monuments in Timbuktu, and recalling the importance of assistance and cooperation, by all parties concerned, with the Court,
“Welcoming the signing of an action plan to end and prevent recruitment and use of children and sexual violence against children by the Coordination armed group and the United Nations in March 2017, and calling for its full and immediate implementation,
“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 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,
“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,
“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 illicit 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,
“Reiterating its strong support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, and for MINUSMA to assist the Malian authorities and the Malian people in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to their country, bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities to protect the population, and welcoming the stabilizing effect of the international presence in Mali, including MINUSMA,
“Commending troop and police contributing countries of MINUSMA for their contribution, paying tribute to the peacekeepers who risk, as well as lost, their lives in this respect, strongly condemning attacks against peacekeepers, underlining that these attacks may constitute war crimes under international law, stressing that those responsible for these acts should be held accountable, calling on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice and further stressing the importance of MINUSMA having the necessary capacities to promote the safety and security of the United Nations peacekeepers,
“Reiterating its serious concern at the continuing lack of key capabilities for MINUSMA, stressing the need to fill gaps in and strengthen MINUSMA’s capabilities to enable it to implement its mandate in a complex security environment that includes asymmetric threats, and emphasizing the utmost importance of improving logistics support to ensure the security and safety of MINUSMA’s personnel in that regard,
“Welcoming the pledges announced at the MINUSMA extraordinary force generation conference chaired by the Secretary-General on 22 and 23 May 2017 to fill in troops and capacity gaps, calling on Member States who expressed pledges to deploy these units rapidly, and calling for the rapid deployment of the quick reaction force established by resolution 2162 (2014), as well as the aviation unit supporting it, following its withdrawal from UNOCI and its scheduled transfer to MINUSMA, pursuant to its resolution 2295 (2016),
“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,
Implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali
“1. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to continue to engage constructively with sustained political will and in good faith to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali to bring concrete peace dividends to the populations of Mali, and to urgently agree on new timelines for its implementation;
“2. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to prioritize without further delay the necessary steps to advance the implementation of the following provisions of the Agreement, bearing in mind the need to ensure the full implementation of the Agreement, notably:
• political and institutional aspects, as referred to in Part II of the Agreement, notably the decentralization process and the effective functioning of the interim administrations, ensuring women’s participation, as well as the timely holding of district, regional, legislative and presidential elections, municipal by-elections, as well as a constitutional referendum in 2017 and 2018 by the Malian authorities,
• defence and security aspects, as referred to in Part III and Annex 2 of the Agreement, giving priority to the deployment of joint security patrols and special units in the North of Mali and the cantonment, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed combatants, within the framework of the reform of the security sector;
“3. Urges the Government of Mali, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups to continue to 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 24 July 2014 and 19 February 2015;
“4. 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, those who attack and take actions to threaten MINUSMA and other international presences, as well as those who provide support to such attacks and actions;
“5. Demands that all armed groups in Mali put aside their arms, cease hostilities, reject the recourse to violence, cut off all ties with terrorist organizations, take concrete steps to enhance their cooperation and coordination with the Government of Mali to eliminate the terrorist threat, and recognize, without conditions, the unity and territorial integrity of the Malian State, within the framework of the Agreement;
“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. 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;
“8. Requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali (SRSG) to use his good offices to encourage and support the full implementation of the Agreement, in particular by playing a central 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 further requests the SRSG to use his good offices to support the holding of the upcoming elections and the constitutional referendum;
“9. Calls on the members of the CSA and other relevant international partners to sustain their support to the implementation of the Agreement, including through expediting the appointment of an independent observer as provided for in article 63 of the Agreement, and to coordinate their efforts with the SRSG for Mali and MINUSMA in this regard, and recognizes the role of the CSA to reconcile disagreements between the Malian parties;
“10. Affirms that the gradual restoration and extension of State authority across the territory of Mali, in particular the reformed and reconstituted Malian Defence and Security Forces (MDSF), consistent with the provisions of the Agreement, would contribute significantly to the stability of Mali and to deter the terrorist threat, and encourages bilateral and multilateral partners to increase their support to accelerate the redeployment of the MDSF, once reformed and reconstituted, to the north of Mali, particularly by providing relevant equipment and training, in coordination with the Government of Mali and MINUSMA and within the framework of the Agreement;
“11. Calls for the inclusion within national and regional strategies of programmes to support community efforts to address the stigma of sexual violence and the reintegration of survivors into their communities;
“12. Calls upon the Government of Mali to finalize its strategy for the development of the North of Mali and the national emergency plan, welcomes the significant contributions of partners following the International Conference for the economic recovery and development of Mali held in Paris on 22 October 2015, encourages the effective fulfilment of the commitments made during this conference, and urges the Government of Mali to disburse the funds already received;
“13. Welcomes the adoption by the Government of Mali of a comprehensive plan to re-establish state presence in the Centre of Mali (Plan de sécurisation intégrée des regions du centre — PSIRC), and calls for the implementation of this plan while balancing efforts to restore security with actions to strengthen governance, provide public and social services to the population, initiate a dialogue to gain trust among all communities and respect the rule of law and human rights;
“14. Encourages all relevant United Nations agencies, as well as regional, bilateral and multilateral partners to provide the necessary support to contribute to the implementation of the Agreement by the Malian parties, in particular its provisions pertaining to socioeconomic and cultural development;
MINUSMA’s mandate
“15. Decides to extend the mandate of MINUSMA until 30 June 2018;
“16. Decides that MINUSMA shall continue to comprise up to 13,289 military personnel and 1,920 police personnel, and requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to expedite force and asset generation, as well as deployment, including as set out in paragraph 33 below;
“17. Decides that the strategic priority of MINUSMA remains to support the implementation by the Government, the Plateforme and Coordination armed groups, as well as by other relevant Malian stakeholders, of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, in particular its political and security aspects, notably the gradual restoration and extension of State authority;
“18. Authorizes MINUSMA to take all necessary means to carry out its mandate, within its capabilities and its areas of deployment;
“19. Requests MINUSMA to achieve its more proactive and robust posture to carry out its mandate;
“20. Decides that MINUSMA’s mandate shall include the following priority tasks:
(a) 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 by the Agreement, especially in its Part II, notably to support the Government’s efforts for the effective and restoration and extension of State authority and rule of law throughout the territory, including through supporting the effective functioning of interim administrations in the North of Mali under the conditions set out in the Agreement;
(ii) To support the implementation of the defence and security measures of the Agreement, especially its Part III and Annex 2, notably:
– to support, monitor and supervise the ceasefire and to report to the Security Council on violations of it,
– to support the deployment of joint security patrols in the North of Mali, where necessary and where possible,
– to support the redeployment of the of the reformed and reconstituted Malian Defence and Security Forces (MDSF) in the Centre and North of Mali;
– to support the cantonment, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of armed groups, including through the integration of elements of the signatory armed groups in the MDSF as an interim measure, within the framework of the reform of the security sector, taking into account the particular needs of women and children and without prejudice to the anticipated plans of the demobilization, disarmament and reintegration and integration commissions,
– to ensure coherence of international efforts, in close collaboration with other bilateral partners, donors and international organizations, including the European Union, engaged in these fields, to rebuild the Malian security sector, within the framework set out by the Agreement;
(iii) To support the implementation of the reconciliation and justice measures of the Agreement, especially in its Part V, including with respect to the establishment and operations of an international commission of inquiry, in consultation with the parties, and support the operationalization of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission;
(iv) To support, within its resources and areas of deployment, the conduct of inclusive, free, fair and transparent elections, as well as the holding of a constitutional referendum, including through the provision of appropriate technical assistance and security arrangements, consistent with the provisions of the Agreement;
(b) 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, to support efforts to reduce intercommunal tensions, bearing in mind the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities, to support the holding of peaceful, inclusive, fair and transparent elections, 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;
(c) Protection of civilians and stabilization, including against asymmetric threats
(i) To protect, without prejudice to the primary responsibility of the Malian authorities, civilians under 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 and Centre of Mali, and, in this regard, to enhance early warning, to anticipate, deter and counter threats, including asymmetric threats, and to take robust and active steps to protect civilians, including through active and effective patrolling in areas where civilians are at risk, and to prevent the return of armed elements to those areas, engaging in direct operations pursuant only to serious and credible threats;
“(iii) To provide specific protection for women and children affected by armed conflict, including through Child Protection Advisors and Women Protection Advisors as well as consultations with women’s organizations, and address the needs of victims of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict;
(d) Countering asymmetric attacks in active defence of MINUSMA’s mandate
In pursuit of its priorities and active defence of its mandate, to anticipate and deter threats and to take robust and active steps to counter asymmetric attacks against civilians or United Nations personnel, to ensure prompt and effective responses to threats of violence against civilians and to prevent a return of armed elements to those areas, engaging in direct operations pursuant only to serious and credible threats;
(e) 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, and, in this context, to periodically review all implemented safety and security measures;
(f) Promotion and protection of human rights
(i) To assist the Malian authorities in their efforts to promote and protect human rights, in particular in the areas of justice and reconciliation, 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 publicly and regularly to the Security Council, on violations of international humanitarian law and on violations and abuses of human rights, including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence and violations and abuses committed against women and children throughout Mali and to contribute to efforts to prevent such violations and abuses;
(g) Humanitarian assistance
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 of internally displaced persons and refugees, or local integration or resettlement of internally displaced persons and refugees in close coordination with humanitarian actors;
“21. Underlines that support to the Malian defense and security forces under paragraph 20 (a) (ii), in the context of support for the implementation of the defense and security measures of the Agreement, continues to include coordinated operations, operational and logistical support, mentoring and strengthened information sharing, medical evacuation, transportation and planning, within existing resources, without prejudice to the basic principles of peacekeeping;
“22. Further authorizes MINUSMA to use its existing capacities to assist in implementing the following tasks:
(a) Projects for stabilization
In support of the Malian authorities, to contribute to the creation of a secure environment for projects, including quick impact projects, aimed at stabilizing the North of Mali;
(b) Weapons and ammunition management
To assist the Malian authorities with the removal and destruction of mines and other explosive devices and weapons and ammunition management;
(c) 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;
(d) Cooperation with the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee
To assist, within its capabilities, its areas of deployment and without prejudice to its mandate, the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established by resolution 1526 (2004), including by passing information relevant to the implementation of the measures in paragraph 2 of resolution 2253 (2015);
“23. Requests the Secretary-General to align budgetary resources according to the prioritization of tasks as set out in paragraphs 20 and 22 of this resolution, and to ensure an efficient division of tasks and complementarity of efforts between MINUSMA and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), based on their mandates and comparative advantages, to support the implementation of the Agreement, as well as to continuously adjust this deployment according to the progress made in the implementation of MINUSMA’s mandate, consistent with the division of tasks with the UNCT requested in paragraph 14 of this resolution, while stressing the importance of adequate resources for the United Nations Country Team and encourages Member States and relevant organizations to consider providing the necessary voluntary funding;
“24. Requests MINUSMA to further enhance its interaction with the civilian population, as well as its cooperation with the Malian Defence and Security Forces, including through the development of an effective communication strategy and MINUSMA radio, in order to raise awareness and understanding about its mandate and activities;
“25. Requests the Secretary-General to enhance cooperation and information sharing, where appropriate, between MINUSMA, UNOWAS and Member States in the region as well as regional security initiatives, notably coordination with the G5 Sahel and the African Union Nouakchott Process;
“26. Requests MINUSMA to ensure that any support provided to non-United Nations security forces, including the MDSF, is provided in strict compliance with the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces (HRDDP);
“27. 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, further requests MINUSMA to assist the parties to ensure women’s full and active participation in the implementation of the Agreement, and further requests enhanced reporting by MINUSMA to the Security Council on this issue;
“28. 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, and urges troop- and police-contributing countries to take appropriate preventative action, including pre-deployment awareness training, and to ensure full accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel;
“29. 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;
“30. Requests MINUSMA to improve coordination between its civil, military and police components, including through an integrated approach to operational planning and intelligence;
Capacities of MINUSMA, safety and security of MINUSMA’s personnel
“31. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary steps, including through the full use of existing authorities and extraordinary administrative measures, to enable MINUSMA to reach its full operational capacity without further delay;
“32. Urges MINUSMA’s troop and police contributing countries to expedite the procurement and deployment of all necessary contingent-owned equipment, urges Member States to provide troops and police that have adequate capabilities, pre-deployment and, where appropriate, in situ 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;
“33. Commends the commitment of the troop- and police-contributing countries in implementing the MINUSMA’s mandate in a challenging environment, and in this connection, takes note of the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed between the United Nations and the troop- and police-contributing countries, and calls on troop- and police-contributing countries to fully and effectively implement the provisions of these MoUs;
“34. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take all appropriate additional measures and, in consultation with troop- and police- contributing countries, to identify options, including seeking the support of Member States, to review and enhance the safety and security of MINUSMA’s personnel and to enable MINUSMA to execute effectively its mandate in a complex security environment that includes asymmetric threats, including through:
– improving MINUSMA’s intelligence and analysis capacities, including surveillance and monitoring capacities, within the limits of its mandate,
– providing training and equipment to counter explosive devices, including enhanced support to troop and police contributing countries to deploy the environment specific armoured personnel carriers and other mine-protected vehicles needed under the current Force requirements,
– improving logistics in mission, including by securing MINUSMA’s logistical supply routes and deploying combat convoy battalions, as needed,
– implementing more effective casualty and medical evacuation procedures, as well as deploying enhanced medical evacuation capacities,
– taking active and effective measures to improve the planning and functioning of MINUSMA’s safety and security facilities and arrangements,
– securing long-term rotation schemes for critical capabilities as well as exploring innovative options to promote partnerships between equipment, troop- and police-contributing countries;
“35. 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, and in this regard, requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary measures to facilitate the logistical supply of MINUSMA and to consolidate supply routes, including through using alternative routes and relocating MINUSMA’s logistics hubs;
“36. Encourages the Secretary-General to keep the Mission concept under continuous review, specifically noting the deterioration of security in the Centre of Mali, in order to maximize the positive impact of MINUSMA’s resources and make operational adjustments where necessary, and requests the Secretary-General to keep it informed on its implementation;
French forces mandate
“37. 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 46 below;
Obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law
“38. Urges the Malian authorities to further combat impunity and, in this regard, to ensure that all perpetrators of crimes involving violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including those involving sexual violence, are held accountable and brought to justice, and also urges the Malian authorities to continue to cooperate with the ICC, in accordance with Mali’s obligations under the Rome Statute;
“39. 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;
“40. 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), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2016), 2331 (2016), on Women, Peace and Security, 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, 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, calls upon the Government of Mali to finalize and sign a joint communique with the UN on addressing sexual violence in conflict, and further calls upon the Plateforme armed group to implement the commitments contained in its Communiqué sur la prévention des violences sexuelles liées au conflit au Mali of June 2016 and upon the Coordination armed group to make similar commitments;
Environmental impact of MINUSMA’s operations
“41. 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;
G5 Sahel contribution
“42. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure adequate coordination and exchange of information, through relevant mechanisms, between MINUSMA, the FC-G5S and the French forces, within their respective mandates, and reiterates in this regard its request to the Secretary-General to enhance cooperation between MINUSMA and the G5 Sahel Member States through provision of relevant intelligence and liaison officers from the G5 Sahel Member States to MINUSMA in order to increase MINUSMA’s awareness of the regional security environment with a view to facilitate the implementation of its mandate;
Regional and international cooperation on the Sahel
“43. Calls upon Member States, notably Sahel, West Africa and Maghreb States, as well as regional, bilateral and multilateral partners, to enhance their coordination, including with the G5 Sahel and the African Union Nouakchott process, 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 and other illicit activities such as drug trafficking, smuggling of migrants and human trafficking;
“44. Calls for the rapid and effective implementation, in consultation with Member States of the Sahel region and bilateral partners and multilateral organizations, of regional strategies encompassing security, governance, development, human rights and humanitarian issues such as the United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel, and encourages in this regard the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel to continue to support Member States of the region, including of the G5 Sahel, and regional and international organizations, to tackle the challenges to peace, security and development in the Sahel region as well as their root causes;
European Union contribution
“45. 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 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 20 (a) (ii) above;
Small arms and light weapons
“46. 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
“47. 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:
(i) on the progress in the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and on MINUSMA’s efforts to support it, including through the benchmarks and timelines agreed between the Government of Mali and MINUSMA in December 2016, pursuant to resolution 2295 (2016);
(ii) on progress in the implementation of the measures taken to improve MINUSMA’s effectiveness to implement its mandate, as outlined in paragraphs 30 to 35 above, including measures to enhance the safety and security of MINUSMA’s personnel;
(iii) on coordination and exchange of information between MINUSMA, French forces and the FC-G5S as outlined in paragraph 41 above;
“47. Further requests the Secretary-General, seeking perspectives from all relevant parties, to develop within 180 days after the adoption of this resolution a mission-wide strategic plan that:
(i) articulates a concrete phased approach to implementation of MINUSMA’s mandate;
(ii) presents a transition plan with a view to handing over relevant tasks to the UNCT based on their mandates and comparative advantages as well as a mapping of capabilities, and also with a view to a possible long-term exit strategy of the Mission on the basis of improved security and political conditions as well as the progress in the implementation of the Agreement;
“49. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”