Thank you for listening to Depictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights, the show about the government, policy and human rights. Welcome have to policy and right here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host Michael Cloggs with ongoing issues in Moli and of course violence in the area kicking up, with problems in coups in Niger and dangerous places to be able to send into refugees and so forth. It looks like the United Nations Multi Dimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in
Molli is pulling out there. They are attempting to leave behind of programs to help the people and hopefully that things do stabilize in Moli so that they can go back and finish the work that they've actually started. But that has has to be seen. And in the next recording from the UN Security Council that they had a meeting about this and a vote on how things should proceed. So why don't we listen to that now and we'll be back with final thoughts.
The nine thousand, four hundred an eighth meeting of the Security Council is resumed. The provisional agenda for this meeting is the situation in Mali, agenda is adopted. Security Council will now begin its consideration vitam two of the agenda. Members of the Council have before them documents S Slash twenty twenty three Slash six three eight and S twenty twenty three Slash sixty three nine, each of
which contains the text of her separate draft resolution. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S Slash twenty twenty three Slash five seven eight, a letter dated August third, twenty twenty three from the Panel of Experts on Mali, established pursuant to Resolution twenty three seventy four addressed to the President of the Security Council. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the first draft resolution before it. I now give the floor to those members
of the Council who wish to make statements before the vote. I now give the floor to the United Arab Emirates. You on the floor. Thank you, mister President, and let me start by thanking all Council members for their flexibility and engagement throughout the negotiations on the draft resolution we have before us on the Security Council sanctioned regime concerning Mali. We also thank France for partnering with US as copenholders and for the extensive work they and their team have put into
trying to find a compromised text. In the past weeks, we have engaged with Mali, with the wider Region and with Council members several times, and entabling the draft resolution, we kept front of mind the United view of the Council, the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali is central for achieving lasting peace in Mali. The Security Council established the sanctions regime in twenty seventeen to
help respond to challenges associated with implementation of the peace Agreement. Indeed, the signatories to the peace Agreement invited the Security Council to fully support this agreement, to follow its implementation closely, and to take any necessary measures against those who hinder its implementation. As the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Mali informed the Council just two days ago, the implementation of the peace Agreement is facing
difficulty and the UN continues to believe its implementation is essential. In addition, we are conscious that MANUSMAS draw Down and withdrawal our ongoing the first phase of Manusma's drawdown has occurred successfully. However, we need to bear in mind that the second phase is still ongoing and it will be important to maintain as stable an environment as possible for the sake of achieving a safe and orderly draw down.
In putting the draft resolution forward, we have paid careful attention to the views of Molly's transitional government, in particular the request for the lifting of the sanctions regime as contained in the Molly Foreign Minister's Letter dated fifteenth August twenty twenty
three. We have also engaged with Molly at all levels to hear their concerns, and we think this draft resolution acknowledges Molly's request and it emphasizes the Council's readiness to review at any time the continuation of the sanctions measures contained in Resolution twenty three seventy four. Mister President, Today's draft resolution comes at a critical time for supporting implementation of the peace Agreement, in support of the peace and
stability of Marli and of the broader region. Thank you. I thank the Representative of the United Arab Emirates for their statement. I now give the floor to the Representative of the Russian Federation mister President. Today's meeting was preceded by good work on the sanctions regime in Mali which met the needs of regional players and the Security Council, But we have to note that the draft unfortunately does
not address these issues. We are convinced that the adoption by the Council in of this with which flouts Bamaco's desire to get rid of the sanctioned regime, will just undermine the sanctions regime and it will not help the Malian peace process. It would just further antagonize the parties. In fact, we all recall the regime was the sanctions regime was set up by the Security Council specifically in response to an official request by the Malian authorities and Soughts to help implement the
peace agreement. There is no doubt that the attempt to put guardianship on Mali without the Malian authorities agreement is pointless. The use of the authority of the Council to push forward approaches that are not suitable to the Mali will really hamper further cooperation between BAMACO and UN and given the current withdrawal of MINUSMA, this
is particularly worrisome. So we must not allow that. Based on these considerations, the Rudder Federation is not in a position to support this draft resolution. We would urge our Council College to demonstrate wisdom and pragmatism and to support our alternative resolution because it takes into consideration the African country's view that the sanctioned regime
needs to be maintained in order to uphold the peace Agreement. However, it is fundamentally important that the UN Security Council sanctions are purely to deal with that issue and not to be used as a way of foreign influence on Mali, and that is something that the Panel of Experts of the Security Council has been involved in. We do not agree with the opinion that the Panel is the
only thing available to the Council to address this. It is clear that for one of its parties, for a whole number of reasons, the panel is no longer needed. And secondly, the Council needs to work in line with the parameters and the resources available. However, it is only with the consent of the participants in the peace process. So given this, we have the alternative resolution to disband the Panel of Experts, and really we would say that
for the sanctions regime that will be the final extension in our resolution. Thank you. I want to thank the Representative of the Russian Federation for their statement. I shall put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document s backslash twenty twenty three backslash six three eight, submitted by France and the United Arab Emirates. Well, those in favor of the draft resolution contained in document s
Slash twenty twenty three slash six three eight please raise their hand. Those against abstention. The result of the voting is as follows, thirteen votes in favor, one vote against, one abstention. The draft resolution has not been adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent member of the Council. I now go the floor to those members of the Council who wished to make statements after the vote, and I'll get the floor to the representative of Mozambique. You
know the floor. It's a president. Thank you for giving us the floor. The political and security situation in Mali continues to be of great interest to the A three and the why the international community in support of that engagement. We have voted in favor of the renewal of the resolution extending the measures against those who take actions to abstract or a threatened the implementation of the two thousand
and fifteen Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. The implementation of this agreement remains critical for the long term peace and stability of Malay. D A three has given due consideration to the requests of the transition Government of Mali, but assesses that at this stage the measures should continue. We believe that the measures established in support of the effective implementation of the peace Agreement would benefit Malay and
the million people in their quest for peace, security and prosperity. With the withdrawal of immunosuma and its potential negative impact on peace agreement, maintaining the measures would help mitigate any adverse impact on the peace Agreement. We take this opportunity to thank the copenholders, France and the United Arab Emirates for their continued efforts during the negotiations to garner consensus. We deeply regret that a compromise was not
found. We further regret that due to the use of the Vito, the resolution could not be adopted. Now more than ever, we should support and encourage and intensification of efforts be higned the implementation of the twenty fifteen peace Agreement. The international mediation led by Algeria, along with the regional organizations you know US and the other UN agencies should be ready to support the mediation and monitoring
mechanisms with the concerned parties. The momentum of the implementation of the Algias Accord should be increased urgently. The peace, stability and territorial integrid of Mali depends to Alige extant or need. I thank you as our president. I thank the representative of the Government of al Zambique. I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom the other for so thank you President. The United Kingdom thanks France and the UAE for all their efforts on this resolution,
despite having to make a number of difficult compromises. We voted in favor of the resolution because of our strong support for the renewal of the Malis sanctions regime and the Panel of Experts mandates. These are important Security Council tools in support of peace and stability in Mali. For this reason, the United Kingdom deeply
regrets Russia's reckless use of the veto. This will reduce the Council's oversight and engage on Marley's peace process at a critical juncture against the backdrop of Musma's withdrawal from Marli. What we need now is renewed commitment to maintain the peace agreement in the face of violations of the ceasefire in Timbuktu and Kiddal regions. The United Kingdom cannot support Russia's proposal to dissolve the Panel of Experts on Marli,
nor its attempt to predetermine the termination of sanctions measures. We pay tribute to the dedication of the members of the Panel, whose rigorous work in challenging challenging circumstances we firmly support. We remain deeply concerned about the worsening political, humanitarian and security situation in Marli. Despite the outcome of today's vote, the UK remains committed to supporting Marley's peace Agreement and pursuing accountability for human rights violations and
abuses. Thank you. I thank the Representative of the United Kingdom for their statement. I now give the floor to the Representative of Switzerland. You have the floormat. Thank you, mister President. I wish to begin by thanking the penholders for their facilitation and their major efforts in achieving a consensus. We also acknowledge the commitment of the members of this Council. Switzerland voted in favor of the draft resolution because we believe, like the vast majority of other members
do, that it represents an acceptable compromise. Switzerland regrets the fact that the use of a veto by a single member of the Security Council calls into question the renewal of these sanctions regime. These sanctions aim to support Malli in implementing
the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. The decision is all the more regrettable given the backdrop of growing insecurity leading to population displacements, and given the departure of Minosma Under tense conditions, the adoption of today's resolution aimed to maintain sanctions measures which themselves aimed to encourage the implementation of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. The maintenance and implementation of this agreement by all parties is essential in order to achieve stability
and security in the long term in Mali and in the region. This is also the conviction of Switzerland, which has been present in Mali for over forty years now. As such, we will continue to work with the Malian authorities and with all stakeholders to achieve this goal. The progress that Mali has made with the international community must not be imperiled. In the interests of protecting the population and peace and security in Mali, Switzerland will continue its engagement in a
constructive fashion to find a compromised text. We call on all members to do the same. We particularly point to the fact that when this Council adopts sanctions measures, its decision should take into account the information provided by the Group of Experts which assesses the implementation of sanctions measures, including the humanitarian, political and
security situation. Given the withdrawal of Munisma, we call upon the Malian authorities and all stakeholders to mobilize their political capital to enable a peaceful transition and to work towards stability in the region. I thank you and thank the Representative of Switzerland for their statement. I now give the floor to Representative of the Russian Federation the other floor. Mister President Russia voted against the draft resolution on extending
the Malian sanctioned regime. Unfortunately, despite the fact that we repeatedly urged for a constructive approach and a sensible compromise to be reached. The text did not in any way taking a consideration the concerns of the Mali side or the Russi Confederation's position. Before the vote, we clearly laid out our reasons that were behind our decision to vote against. We didn't hide these views during the negotiation
process. We worked completely transparency, based on a specific proposals with a desire to achieve an acceptable compromise. There was every chance an opportunity this would work right up until the last minute. However, we will get to note that the position of the Russian Federation was not taken into consideration, nor was any substantive effort to accommodate the official request of Mali either. Therefore, our vote
against was highly unlikely to be unexpected to anybody. We do hope that in the future sponsors of resolutions will make a top priority wisdom and pragmatism to avoid unnecessary confrontation in the Security Council, in particular in circumstances when compromise agreement was completely achievable if the political will had been there. Thank you. I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for their statement I now give the floor to
the Representative of Albania. Thank you, Thank you, President, and the Albania would like to thank also France and the UAE for their leadership during the challenging negotiations on the renewal of the sanction regime in Mali. We voted in favor of the resolution as we see value in maintaining the targeted sanctions and the Panel of Experts. While the current text does not address many of our concerns,
we made consensions in spirit of the compromise. President. Discussions within this Chamber earlier this week highlighted the fragility of the peace Agreement and the csfire violations following hostile activities between the Malian transitional government and signatory armed groups. As menusement departs, it is imperative the Security Council maintain its focus on the situation and the implementation of the agreement, which remains a crucial instrument for securing long term
peace and stability in Mali. The sanction regime and the Panel of expert as a crucial role to play in assisting Mali in implementing the peace Agreement. Therefore, we regret that one member used its veto power to day preventing the Council from reaching unity on this matter. I thank you, thank Youania for their statement. I now get the floor to the representative of Japan. Thank you. The two thousand and fifteen piece Agreement is the only existing and viable framework
to achieve durable peace and reconciliation in Mali. Now that MENUSMA must withdraw from Mali, it is imperative to safeguard and promote the implementation of the agreement. And Furthermore, any action that japatizes the security and stability of Mali is a concern of the Security Council as they are inextricably linked to those of the Sahel and West African region. Such actions include transnational organized crimes, abstraction of humanitarian
assistance and abuse, and violation of international human rights and humanitarian law. Many sanction regime plays a vital role in both of these regards. Therefore, Japan deeply regrets that the Security Council failed to adopt the draft resolution due to the veto by one Council member. I wish to remind that the members of this Council have a solemn duty for the maintenance of international peace and security. Despite the regrettable outcome, we need to keep on working for the peace and security
of Africa and Japan is ready to do so with other Council members. Thank you Sandor of Japan for their statement. I now get the floor to the representative of China to mister President. China's position on the issue of Security Council sanctions is consistent and clear. China always believes that sanctions are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Sanctions imposed by the Security Council should not be indefinite, but should be reviewed, adjusted and lifted periodically in
light off the situation of the country's concerned. The Council established the sanctions measures in twenty seventeen at the request of the government of Mali. Relevant measures have played an important role under the circumstances of that time in monitoring cease fire and supporting the implementation of the peace Agreement in Mali. In recent years, the
situation in Mali has continued to change. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mali, Mister Diopp, recently wrote to the President of the Security Council expressing the view that the sanction measures could no longer meet the needs of the situation and expressing this atifaction with the work of depend of experts of the Sanctions Committee.
Mister President, I'd like to point out that this time around, the Security Council had the opportunity to conduct in depth discussions and make reasonable adjustments to the relevant sanctions measures, and China had also conducted active interaction with parties concerned and put forward positive proposals appealing to give diplomatic mediation a chance and more time.
However, it is regrettable that some members pushed through a vote that ignored the desire and efforts of other members to continue the mediation efforts and a process, an outcome that neither contributes to the resolution of the modey and issue nor helps the Council to play a positive and constructive role. Lastly, I wish to appeal once again that maintaining peace and stability in Mali and the region as a
whole is in the common interest of the international community. The international community and the UN should continue to provide assistance and support based on respecting the sovereignty and leadership of the country's concern. China will continue to support Mali in safeguarding its sovereignty territorial integrity, national security, and stability, and will continue to make further contributions to the peaceful development of Mali through bilateral and multilateral channels. Thank
you, mister President. I thank the Representative of China for their statement. I shall me I'll make a statement in my capacity as representative the United States. The United States is disappointed by the outcome of today's vote. Once again, Russia has imposed its will on the Council in the face of the position of countries from the region. The Council's failure to agree on the urgent and necessary renewal of Mali's sanctions regime due to Russia's actions threatens peace and security not
just in Mali, but the entire region. We voted in favor of this text because the Panel of Experts reporting is a central source of information on the situation in Mali. The travel ban and asset freeze remained necessary to stem the illicit financial transfers and ill gotten gains both from Mali and into a region in which numerous malign actors operate and have sadly proliferated. Too many people continue to suffer from the ongoing violence and due to Russia's actions. This Council has failed
to renew some of the most important international initiatives for addressing this crisis. The provisions of this resolution remained critical to peace and security in Mali. The United States is committed working constructively with the Security Account with Security Council colleagues in the coming days to achieve a mandate renewal that accurately reflects the dire situation on the ground and this Council's primary role to maintain international peace and security. I now
resume my function as President of the Council. Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the next draft resolution before it, I shall now make a statement in my capacity is represented of the United States, we find the Russian draft for the sanctions regime disingenuous and lamentable. First, Russia's draft was introduced
with no opportunity for discussion or negotiation. Although the text calls for maintaining the travel ban and asset freezes, the draft ends the panel of experts reporting mandate. One also must question why Russia is seeks to renew the sanctions for only six months and then at a sunset clause. The situation in Mali requires our sustained support. The text Russia is put forward falls lamentably short in that objective.
Following the withdrawal of MNUSMA, the Panel of Experts is the only UN mechanism left to monitor and report on human rights abuses as well as facilitate efforts to implement the peace Agreement. The panel's elimination, as called for by Russia, would render the regime ineffective and not useful for Moli. Russia seeks to eliminate the Panel of Experts mandate to stifle publication of uncomfortable truths about Wagner's actions
in Mali which require attention. Russia is putting its own interests above those of the region. Russia's repeated refusals to engage in negotiations, followed by its submission of an alternative text the eleventh hour, our egregious breaks in procedure which failed to respect the integrity and transparency essential to Council deliberations. It is for these reasons that the United States must oppose the Russian drafted resolution, and we urge
others to do so as well. For the sake of the Malian people. I now resume my function as President of the Council. Oh, the Russian Federation has asked for the floor. Please, mister President, I didn't intend to take the floor, but I really have to make one clarifications in your statement in your national competee, you say that you urge Council colleagues to demonstrate
wisdom and pragmatism, and it was based on the African countries. The African this is what we said in fact that we do need to maintain that, and the US delegations talked about a six month period. I just want that to be clear for the members of the Council, so maintain it, to
try to harness it to help implement the Algiers Agreement. But it's very important for sanctions to be targeted to resolve specifically that issue and not to turn into a instrument for the external imposition of blanket solutions on Mali, and in particular the panel of experts, the panel of experts we've seen in Guinea Bissau, for example, what it did and nothing dramatic happened after that. So please
do heed our words and vote in favor of this draft. And I would like to say once again to the US representative from this mic that if this is not adopted, then there's no coming back, rather to discussing any further resolution on this matter. Thank you. I thank the Representative of the Russian Federation for their statement. I shall now put to the vote the draft resolution contained in document s Slash twenty twenty three slash sixty three nine submitted by the
Russian Federation. Will those in favor of the draft resolution contained in document s Slash twenty twenty three slash sixty three nine please raise their hand? Those against abstentions. The result of the voting is as follows, one vote in favor, one vote against, thirteen abstentions. The draft resolution has not been adopted, having failed to obtain the required number of votes. I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wished to make statements after the vote.
I give the floor to the Representative of France. Thank you, mister President. France deeply regrets the veto used by Russia to prevent the adoption of the draft resolution renewing the sanctions regime in Mali. France, jointly with the Night Air Emirates, has worked tirelessly in recent recent weeks to present a balanced text following the conclusion of an in depth consultation process which listened to the views of all member states of these Security Council. We are delighted at the unanimous
support we've seen from the African members of this Council. In particular, whilst Russia very regularly underscores the importance of cooperation among states based on a relationship between equals, we regret the fact that it has put to the vote a draft text which was not subject to discussion among the members of the Security Council on a topic as crucial as this one, at a juncture as crucial as this
one for Marley, the region and the implementation of the Peace Agreement. The choice made by Russia follows the participation of Wagner Meseries in fighting in Beer and in Aryan airstrikes at Anna Fees, which imperil the Seaspire and the Peace Agreement. I recall that the members of the Panel in its undated includes investigation into human light violations committed across all all of the Malian territory and looks at perpetrator
of those crimes. Thank you France for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of China. Thank yous to President, I wish to emphasize that China built in abstation against the resolution by the Russian Federation. It is all for technical reasons, because we haven't received instructed from our capital. I have to part out that with the card to some of the content and elements in the Russian draft, China certainly supports all those elements contained in resolution
with support and understand them. Thank you. I thank the representative of China for their statement. I now give the floor to the Representative of Malta. Malta delivers this explanation of vote in line of the two resolutions presented to this council. Mortar Tanks, France I United Arab Emirates for their tireless efforts and extensive consultations on the former text towards an outcome which continues to support Mali's security
and stability. We believed that the draft prepared by the Kopens reflected this and this is why we voted in favor of it. Our position also reflects our steadfast support in retaining the sanctions regime and the mandate of the Panel of Experts at a time when they are needed the most. We deeply regret that the Kopens text was vetoed by the Russian Federation and that an alternative text was tabled
by the Russian Federation. We have abstained on the second draft as it seeks to eliminate these same measures that would have assisted Mali on its path towards genuine security and stability. In light of Minosma's departure from Mali, the sanctions regime plays a critical role as the UN's sole source of monitoring the implementation of the
Peace Agreement. This approach also aligns with the Security Council's duty to uphold peace and security in Mali by enforcing measures against any actor hindering the agreement's implementation. President, as the situation in Mali remains deeply concerning, we urge the Malian authorities and all parties to the agreement to respect the Peace Agreement. We condemn all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, as well as
violence against women and children. Given the outconjuring the session, we resolved to continue engaging in discussions to find their way forward. I thank you the Representative Malta for their statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. This meeting is adjourned. So we heard from the United Nations Security
Council on resolutions for Molly and how they proceed. The United Nations is is a peaceful organization and they actually do do their best to try to stay out of any type of conflict and they work towards ensuring that there's a stable government for the for the people at hand, that it whatever whatever that looks like, that the people themselves want to put in place. They they try to take the neutral stance and and things so that things become stable and providing humanitarian
efforts for those who actually need it. And Molly at this point in time does need those humanitarian efforts to stay in place. O food things like that are actually needed and that particular region of Western or to say, yeah, Western Africa needs the help and they need the food that supplies and everything because of ongoing not just political issues but also because of weather and other issues that are that are happening in the area and to help control things like infectious disease
as well as malnutrition and starvation. So the UN peacekeepers do need to stay safe and they do need to actually ensure that the mission can be can continue with little hindrance so that people have a stable environment to live in. Thank you for listening to policy and right today I've been your hosts Michael Cloggs and please find that subscribe button wherever it may be so that you can get continued
updates from us. The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact us at Depictions Media for more information.