In his speech to the nation on the occasion of the New Year 2024, the transitional president, Colonel Assimi Goïta, announced the establishment of a “direct inter-Malian dialogue for peace and reconciliation”. It must allow “national ownership of the peace process”, without going through any external mediation. The contours of this dialogue – its organization, its participants, its objectives – must be clarified by next February. On the side of the armed groups in the North who signed the 2015 peace agreement, the reactions are diverse and, unsurprisingly, directly linked to the “camp” in which these groups find themselves.
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The MSA (Movement for the Salvation of Azawad) is an ally of the transitional authorities. Its spokesperson, Ilyas Ag Siguidi, welcomes this initiative. “ We believe that the inter-Malian dialogue is the only alternative to find peace. Malians have realized that no external entity will be able to manage an inter-Malian problem. This is why we believe that this is the solution to get out of this crisis which has lasted too long, and which affects all the Malian populations, economically, security and even socially. »
“ We are convinced that this dialogue is to be welcomed, insists Ilyas Ag Siguidi. We will support it, for the well-being of our populations throughout the Malian territory. If the Malians come back to the table (negotiations, editor’s note), they will discuss easily and we will be able to get out of this crisis. »
“We will never participate in this dialogue”
But on the side of the CSP (Permanent Strategic Framework) rebels, the announcement of this dialogue, on the contrary, arouses categorical rejection. “ This announcement did not surprise us, points out Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadane, one of the spokespersons for the rebel groups. For us, this is synonymous with rejection of the agreement [de paix de 2015, Ndlr], it is a way of declaring its obsolescence. There was an agreement there, signed by all parties, with international mediation. We do not see how to replace this agreement with a so-called inter-Malian process. »
“ What this agreement has not been able to find in terms of solutions to the problems we face, it is not an internally organized cinema that will solve them, tackle Mohamed El Maouloud Ramadane. Since the start of hostilities against our positions, we have understood that the Malian authorities have finished with this agreement. So we take note of this, but we are not ready to take part in any so-called internal peace operation. We are currently at war with these transitional authorities. We will never participate in this dialogue. »
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