The decision was announced this Thursday, December 22 in a press release from the Permanent Strategic Framework (CSP) which brings together all the armed groups in the North who signed the Algiers agreement in 2015. These groups denounce “the persistent lack of political will of the transitional authorities” to apply an agreement which seems more threatened than ever. They are suspending their participation in the bodies monitoring the agreement as long as an emergency meeting with the Malian government “on neutral ground” is not organised.
Since 2015, the implementation of the peace agreement has experienced many blockages, but this suspension in the form of an ultimatum on the part of the signatory armed groups marks a new and perhaps crucial stage.
The ex-independence rebels of the CMA have been asking for two weeks for a emergency meeting on neutral ground », understand in Algeria where this agreement had been negotiated, or elsewhere, but not in Mali. They are now joined by the groups called ” loyalists of the Platform, who have always defended the unity of Mali.
Deterioration of relations with Bamako
All believe that the Malian transitional authorities are not sufficiently committed to the application of the peace agreement and expect concrete actions from Bamako on the process of disarming the signatory groups and the integration of their military cadres into the hierarchy of the reconstituted Malian army, to name only the last stumbling block.
More generally, the armed groups deplore the deterioration of their relations over the past two years with the Malian transitional authorities and clearly question Bamako’s real desire to keep the peace agreement alive. Hence this request for an emergency meeting, supposed to put all the parties before their responsibilities.
A week ago, by press release, the international mediation had not ruled out the possibility of such a meeting, nor had it encouraged it. It is up to Algeria, its leader, to ” take the necessary initiatives. »
” Smart implementation »
Could the current impasse lead to a resumption of arms? This is obviously the most concrete consequence to be feared in the long term.
Despite RFI’s requests to the Ministry of National Reconciliation and the government spokesperson, Bamako did not wish to react, either to the request for a meeting on neutral ground, or to this suspension of the participation of armed groups in the mechanisms monitoring of the agreement.
The transitional Malian authorities have always officially affirmed their involvement in the agreement, even if it means considering a ” proofreading ” or a ” smart implementation. »