Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop was surprised, on Thursday October 5, by UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ report that «… almost no progress has been made in implementing the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement».
«We were greatly surprised by this statement, which at first glance gave the impression of a generalized inaction in the implementation of the Peace Agreement despite the efforts of the Government of Mali and the international Community», said the head of Malian diplomacy Thursday at the UN where António Guterres’ report on Mali was presented
Referring instead to «the difficulties that have marked the process», Bamako believes that the peace agreement «is making remarkable progress». Mr Diop referred in particular to the cessation of hostilities between armed groups and the Malian army and the «substantial progress» highlighted in the conclusions of the high-level meeting on the implementation of the peace agreement held in New York on September 20.
«I understand the impatience of the Secretary-General, the members of the Council, our other partners for delays in the implementation of the Agreement and I know that you also understand the complexity of the challenges in our peace process and which for several are not the responsibility of the Government of Mali», said Abdoulaye Diop.
On October 3, António Guterres drew up an alarming report on the security and humanitarian situation in Mali, «clearly deteriorated».
Moussa Touré