UN approves Mali peacekeepers support for African five-nation force battling extremists in Sahel
It includes medical evacuation, supply of fuel, water and rations, and the use of engineering units to establish base camps
The Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to enable the UN peacekeeping force in Mali to provide support to the new 5,000-troop African force that is charged with fighting extremists in western Africa’s vast Sahel region.
The French-drafted resolution asks Secretary General Antonio Guterres to quickly conclude a technical agreement to have Mali’s peacekeepers provide operational and logistical support to the five-nation African force.
The support includes medical evacuation, supply of fuel, water and rations, and the use of UN engineering units to establish camps in Mali.
The so called “Group of Five” or G5 nations – Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Chad – have been grappling with a growing menace from extremists, including Islamic State, Boko Haram and groups linked to al-Qaeda’s North Africa branch.
The G5 agreed in February to assemble a force to combat extremist groups, organised crime and human-trafficking. A headquarters is now operating in Sevare, Mali, and the resolution takes note of its first operation.
The council encouraged the G5 to reach its full operational strength by its target of March 2018.