The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (Minusma) started its withdrawal on Friday, marking the end of an 11-year peacekeeping effort.
Deployed by the UN Security Council in 2013, the mission included 13,000 personnel tasked with helping Mali combat militants, including those linked to al-Qaeda, ISIS, and separatists in Northern Mali. The mission’s main camp in Bamako will be handed over to Mali’s military junta on Sunday.
The decision to end the mission was made in June 2023 after Mali’s junta demanded the peacekeepers leave, citing a lack of trust. The Security Council unanimously approved the move following Mali’s request.
The junta has since cut ties with former Western allies, strengthening relations with Russia and deploying mercenaries from the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group.
European and UN peacekeeping forces have been gradually withdrawn as Mali shifts its foreign policy. The country has been under military rule since 2020 when Colonel Assimi Goita ousted the elected president, citing the government’s failure to address Islamist insurgents.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel regional program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, noted that Mali wanted a force capable of fighting jihadism. However, Minusma’s mandate faced limitations due to budget constraints, lack of coordination with the Malian army, and its perception as a tool of Western influence.
The mission included personnel from 53 countries, 19 of which were African. However, Mali continues to face significant security challenges. Terrorist attacks and a resurgence of rebellion persist, such as a recent attack on September 17 on a police academy and military base in Bamako killing nearly 80 people.
The withdrawal of the 15,000-strong UN force marks the final stage of Mali’s break from its former allies as it aligns more closely with Russia.
Minusma was deployed following Mali’s 2012 coup to address instability, restore order, support peace agreements, and combat extremist violence.