More than 3,300 peacekeeping personnel who were serving in Mali have departed the country as part of a gradual UN withdrawal plan. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reported that on September 20, 116 Senegalese peacekeepers were repatriated from Mopti Camp.
“To date, 2,680 members of the MINUSMA Force and 596 members of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) have been repatriated, culminating in a total of 3,276 uniformed personnel departing the mission,” said MINUSMA in the statement.
“MINUSMA has, over time, bid farewell to 81 international staff and 10 United Nations Volunteers (UNVs). This brings the total number of departed civilian staff to 91, and when combined with the military departures, the grand tally stands at 3,367 MINUSMA personnel having left the mission,” it added.
This gradual reduction in personnel aligns with UN Security Council Resolution 2690, which was adopted on June 30, 2023. The resolution mandates the complete withdrawal of MINUSMA’s operations by December 31, 2023.
The statement also mentioned that as the deadline approaches, it is expected that by the end of September, a more significant contingent of MINUSMA staff will depart from Mali.
The Mission was established on April 25, 2013, in response to the security crisis that unfolded in Mali. The mission involved over 15,000 troops and police officers from 61 countries, spanning from Armenia to Zambia. The peacekeeping force was primarily stationed in northern and central Mali.
