Global perspective Human stories

Mali

Mali

Voting cards are readied for distribution in the July 2018 presidential election in Mali.
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko

We do not need to add a crisis to the current crisis. It is necessary that everyone goes to vote [peacefully] and that actors competing in this election accept the ballot box results, and if there is a dispute, that call they on the Malian institutions which are in charge of electoral disputes.

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, head of the UN mission Mali, 27 July '18

Overview

In recent years, Mali has been confronted by a profound crisis with serious political, security, socio-economic, humanitarian and human rights consequences. The crisis stems from long-standing structural conditions such as weak State institutions; ineffective governance; fragile social cohesion; deep-seated feelings among communities in the north of being neglected, marginalized and unfairly treated by the central Government; a weak and externally dependent, albeit vibrant, civil society; and the effects of environmental degradation, climate change and economic shocks. These conditions were exacerbated by more recent factors of instability, including corruption, nepotism, abuse of power, internal strife and deteriorating capacity of the national army.

2018 Presidential Election

The presidential election is set to be held on 29 July 2018. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) provides technical assistance to the Malian authorities' efforts to create conditions conducive for the holding of credible and peaceful elections. This includes the preparation and dispatching of electoral materials, back-up security support, as well as sensitization, transportation and training of electoral officials. The mission also has made transportation available for all candidates to travel to the north and centre of the country for campaigning purposes.

UN News
Elections in Mali. How the UN is assisting.
UN Peacekeeping

The presidential election is set to be held on 29 July 2018. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established by Security Council resolution 2100 of 25 April 2013 to support political processes in that country and carry out a number of security-related tasks.  The Mission was asked to support the transitional authorities of Mali in the stabilization of the country and implementation of the transitional roadmap.

By unanimously adopting resolution 2164 of 25 June 2014, the Council further decided that the Mission should focus on duties, such as ensuring security, stabilization and protection of civilians; supporting national political dialogue and reconciliation; and assisting the re-establishment of State authority, the rebuilding of the security sector, and the promotion and protection of human rights in that country.

MINUSMA Leadership
 

Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of MINUSMA

Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), briefs the Security Council.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Mr. Mahamat Saleh Annadif

Mr. Annadif brings to this position extensive national and international experience. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad (1997-2003), Chief of Staff to the President (2004-2006) and Secretary General to the Presidency (2010-2012). He also served as Permanent Representative of the African Union Commission to the European Union from 2006 to 2010.

In the course of his career, he took part in several peace processes in Africa, including in Niger, the Central African Republic and Sudan. From 2012 to 2014, he was the African Union Special Representative and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Mr. Annadif holds an engineering degree in telecommunications from the Polytechnic School of Madagascar.

Born in 1956, he is married and has six children. 

 

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-general (DSRSG), Political Affairs

Koen Davidse, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) of United Nations for Political Affairs of MINUSMA
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko

Mr. Koen Davidse

Mr. Koen Davidse (from Netherlands) is the new Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General (DSRSG) of United Nations for Political Affairs of MINUSMA. He took office on 1 October 2015.

Mr. Davidse brings with him 25 years of international experience, gained during a distinguished career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the World Bank and the United Nations.

He was since 2011 until his recent appointment at MINUSMA, Director of Multilateral Institutions and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

Prior to that, he served as Director of Peacebuilding and Stabilization in the Ministry and acted as the Dutch Special Envoy for Sudan.

In 2006, Mr. Davidse served at the United Nations as Research Director for the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence.  He also served in South Asia for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and at the Permanent Missions of the Netherlands to the United Nations in Geneva and New York.

A graduate of Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Mr. Koen Davidse holds a degree in international relations and political science.

 

 

Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-general (DSRSG), Humanitarian Affairs and UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of UNDP

Mbaranga Gasarabwe, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG), Humanitarian Affairs and UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative of UNDP in Mali.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Ms. Mbaranga Gasarabwe

Ms. Gasarabwe (Rwanda) brings more than 20 years of experience with the United Nations in development and humanitarian assistance, with a particular focus on Africa.  From 2001 to 2011, she served as Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Benin, Djibouti, Guinea and Mali.  She was appointed Assistant Secretary-General in the Department of Safety and Security in 2011. Born in 1959, Ms. Gasarabwe holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Burundi and a master’s degree in management and business administration from the Arthur D. Little School of Management, now known as the Hult International Business School, in the United States.

 

 

Force Commander

Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck, Force Commander of MINUSMA.
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko

Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck

Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck of Belgium succeeds Major General Michael Lollesgaard of Denmark, who completed his tour of duty on 31 December 2016.
 
Major General Deconinck brings to this position 38 years of national and international military experience with the Belgian Army. Before his appointment, he served as Commander Land Forces of the Belgian Armed Forces since September 2014. He also served in various leadership positions as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Support), Commander of the Belgian Defence College and commander of the 7th Brigade (Marche-en-Famenne) of the Belgian Army. He also held the position of Force Commander, European Union Battle Group (2008-2009).
 
Major General Deconinck has a master’s degree in military and social sciences from the Belgian Royal Military academy. He is a graduate of the French War College (Ecole de Guerre, Paris), and Defence College, Brussels, Belgium.
 
Born in 1959, Major General Deconinck is married with three children.

 

 

Police Chief - UNPOL

Issoufou Yacouba, Police Commissioner of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), briefs the Security Council.
UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

MINUSMA Police Commissioner Issoufou Yacouba

Issoufou YACOUBA, joined MINUSMA Police on 25 May 2016. Before joining MINUSMA as the Police Commissioner, Issoufou YACOUBA was the Senior Adviser to the Minister of Interior in Niger on security matters.

After basic Military training, he started working within the Ministry of Interior of Niger in 1989 where over the years, he has acquired policing experience through various services ranging from Director General of the National Police on two occasions, Director of Public Security, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Director of Police Departments of Dosso, Agadez and Maradi regions, Deputy Director and subsequently Director of Judicial Police and Chief of Economic Crimes Investigation Division. 

Apart from his policing career, Mr. Yacouba also held a political position as the Governor of Dosso region in Niger from March 2010 to May 2011. 

On the international arena, Issoufou YACOUBA served as Deputy Police Commissioner for United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) from May 2004 to July 2005 and also served in various managerial capacities within United Nations Observer Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) CIVPOL component from July 2002 to May 2004. These included CIVPOL Chief of Staff, acting CIVPOL Commissioner, Sector Coordinator, Adviser and Trainer. He has also attended several training programmes on Security Sector Reform, Global Security and Counter Terrorism and Automated Border Control. 

Born in Niamey - Niger on 15 January 1957, Issoufou YACOUBA is a graduate of Ecole Nationale Superieure de la Police-Saint-Cyr-Au-Mont-D’Or (Lyon France), University of Cocody faculty of Law (Côte D’Ivoire), Lycée Issa Korombe (Niamey – Niger) and College d’Enseignement General de Tera (Niger).

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