A coalition of armed rebels in northern Mali has withdrawn from protracted peace negotiations based on an Algiers accord, blaming the military-run government for the absence of political will.
In a statement released on Thursday, the coalition, known as the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security, and Development (CSP-PSD), stated that it would only return to the negotiating table if negotiations took place in a neutral nation with international mediation.
“CSP-PSD regrets the persistent absence of political will of the transitional authorities to implement [the peace accord],” it said, adding it would “suspend participation” in the talks.
Authorities in Mali have not yet made any comments. After rebels attempted to seize control of the nation’s capital Bamako in 2012, the West African nation’s then-civilian administration and armed groups inked a deal in Algiers more than seven years ago to bring peace back to the region. This declaration jeopardised the deal.
Although the rebels were routed, Mali has subsequently entered a cycle of violence in which local ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda branches have seized control of sizable portions of the country, murdering thousands of civilians.
The accord aimed to strengthen the economy of the north, decentralise Mali, and include former rebels into the military forces.
Decentralisation has not taken place, ongoing violence has thwarted efforts at disarmament, and the local economy has been severely damaged. Progress has been gradual.
Since August 2020, there have been two military coups in Mali. After Mali allied itself with Russian military contractor the Wagner Group this year, former colonial power France, which had assisted in keeping fighters in check for a decade, withdrew thousands of troops.
