Security Council Briefing Paper: Mali Conflict
Hope College United Nations 2013
Mali and its Neighbors
The African state, Mali, has been relatively stable and conflict free since its independence from
France in 1960. At its initial independence Mali was called the Mali Federation. A few months
later, Senegal withdrew and the Mali Federation became Mali. (World Factbook, 2012). Mali
was ruled by a dictatorship until 1991 when the government was ousted by a bloodless military
coup. Following this was a period of military rule until March of 2012. (World Factbook,
2012).
In March of 2012, the Mali government was overthrown by a military force and was announce
over the state’s television programing. The mutineers thought the government was mishandling
the neighboring Tuareg insurgency in the northern region. The Tuareg rebellion includes
supporters of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya who returned to Mali with guns and heavy arms. The
coup leaders call themselves the National Committee for the Reestablishment of Democracy and
the Restoration of the State (CNRDR). The soldiers intended to hand over power to a
democratically elected government. (Associated Press, 2012). After the coup in March, there
was excessive looting, especially in the North. (Associated Press, 2012).
On July 5, 2012, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2056. They condemned
the force that seized power over the democratically elected government and called for a
“roadmap for the restoration of constitutional order and State authority throughout its territories.”
The United Nations also put support behind the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) to help the country face challenges, for example, the presence of Al-Qaeda within
its borders. (Resolution 2056, 2012).
On July 31, 2012, ECOWAS representatives visited Mali to assess the progress of the formation
of a coalition government that was demanded by the West African region. Only the week before,
Mali’s interim president, Dioncounda Traoré, announced he would be requesting foreign
assistance to gain back control of the northern territory of Mali. (Clottey, 2012).
The next month, the Ivory Coast pushes for more United Nations military action against Mali.
As the rebel forces that have been linked to Al-Qaeda advance to claim all parts of northern
Mali, there is a greater threat to the surrounding countries. (Ridgwell, 2012). The United
Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNHCR), Antonio Guterres, claims that the
situation Mali poses a regional and global threat to security. Guterres also claims the conflict in
Mali could further exacerbate other conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
(Schleln, 2012).
The furthering conflict could cause many issues pertaining to economics, food, water, and basic
necessities for the citizens of Mali and the surrounding region. There is also some speculation
by Guterres that the conflict in Mali has been overshadowed by the Syrian violence.
(Schleln, 2012).
The conflict in the northern region of Mali has slowly advanced to southern Mali and threatens
the security of the region. The countries of the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea
feel threatened by the armed forces that have not been controlled by the Mali government. The
Secretary General calls for a special session of the Security Council to address this issue to
global security.
Sources and Additional Resources:
Associated Press. (2012, March 22). Soldiers Loot Mali Presidential Palace after Ousting Leader.
USA Today. Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-03-22/Mali-coup/53697004/1
CIA World Factbook. (2012, July 31). Mali. Retrieved from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html
Clottey, P. (2012, July 31). ECOWAS to Visit Mali as Government Formation Deadline Passes.
Voice of America. Retrieved from
http://www.voanews.com/content/ecowas_to_visit_mali_as_government_formation_dead
line_passes/1452165.html
Ridgwell, H. (2012 August 1). Ivory Coast Pushes for UN Military Action in Mali. Voice of
America. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/content/ivory-coast-pushes-for-unmilitary-action-in-mali/1452281.html
Schlein, L. (2012, August 3). UNHCR: Mali Conflict Poses Global Threat. Voice of America.
Retrieved from
http://www.voanews.com/content/united_nations_refugees_commissioner_says_mali_co
nflict_poses_global_threat/1455034.html
United Nations Security Council. (2012). United Nations Security Council Resolution 2056.
(Resolution 2056). New York City, NY.
Additional Sources:

http://www.comm.ecowas.int/sec/index.php?id=about_a&lang=en

http://allafrica.com/westafrica/

http://allafrica.com/mali/

http://www.isn.ch/
Questions to Consider:

Whose job is it to police the area of Mali?

Will the world recognize the new government in Mali?