The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday renewed sanctions imposed on Mali against those delaying the implementation of a 2015 peace agreement in the country, reported Africa News.
The council members voted unanimously and adopted Resolution 2484, which extended the sanction measures targeting individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali.
The sanctions were first imposed by the Security Council for an initial period of one year in September 2017 through Resolution 2374. The measures were extended for one year in August 2018. They have now been extended until the end of August 2020, while the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring the implementation of the sanctions has been extended until Sept. 30, 2020.
Anne Gueguen, France’s deputy U.N. ambassador, said the council’s decision signals its commitment to peace in Mali, which has been in turmoil since an uprising in 2012.
Gueguen said the sanctions are an instrument for stabilization that has contributed to change the behavior of a number of individuals in Mali. She added that the Security Council’s message behind extending the sanction is “if you block the implementation of the peace agreement you expose yourself to sanctions.”
Mali had plunged into a civil war between the north and the south, plus political instability and the rise of rebel militants. Conflicts still occur in the country despite peace agreements. The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, was established in April 2013 to stabilize the situation.
According to MINUSMA, 116 civilians have been killed or wounded by explosive devices since the beginning of 2019. The figure has been increasing since 2018 due to the proliferation of violent episodes. Earlier this week, three people were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the Mopti region.
