In Mali, Minusma left its Ansongo camp, Gao region, in the north of the country during the weekend of November 18 and 19, 2023. The departure of the peacekeepers took place without difficulty. The UN mission is therefore continuing its withdrawal process, which must be completed by the end of the year.
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Ansongo is the ninth of twelve bases for which Minusma returns the keys to the Malian transitional authorities. The handover was made to the district prefect. Unlike what happened in Kidal last week, the redeployment of the Malian army in the former UN camp of Ansongo was never an issue: the Malian forces were already present in this locality that the Permanent Strategic Framework (PSF) rebels were not in control when the 2015 peace agreement was signed.
And it is jointly that Malian soldiers and UN forces – mainly from the Nigerien, Burkina Faso and Senegalese contingents – have until now secured the city and its surroundings. No jihadist attack was reported against the last UN convoy which left Ansongo on Saturday, while Jnim and the Islamic State are present in the area.
During its ten years of presence in Ansongo, Minusma recalls that it notably built and equipped the police station for the benefit of the Malian police, which it also supplied with fuel. Many projects have also been carried out directly for populations, for the supply of drinking water or the electrification of the city, for example.
More than 8,817 soldiers, police and civilians from the Mission have left Mali, according to Minusma
According to figures provided by Minusma, more than 8,817 soldiers, police and civilians from the Mission left the Mali nowadays. Nearly two thirds, therefore, of the 13,871 personnel affected by the withdrawal – Malians employed by Minusma obviously have no intention of leaving the country.
Next stage of the withdrawal: the closure of the Mopti-Sévaré base, in the center of the country, “ in the first weeks of December “. The Gao and Timbuktu sites, as well as the Bamako headquarters, will be in the “ liquidation » from January 1st.