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Your Excellency President Dioncounda Traore,
Your
Excellency Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra,
Your
Excellency Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General,
Your
Excellency Romano Prodi, United Nations Special Envoy for the Sahel,
Your
Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, ECOWAS Commission President,
Honorable
Ministers,
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to address you on
the occasion of this meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group, here in Bamako. This gathering affords
us the opportunity to better coordinate and enhance our efforts in support
of our Malian brothers and sisters in these challenging times.
I have chosen to make this first trip, in my
official capacity as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to
Mali, to convey a message of solidarity from our continent to the people
of this great country. In so doing, I also want to highlight the AU’s
deep concern about the prevailing situation and our determination to
do everything in our power to help the people of Mali to find a speedy
resolution of the overlapping crises facing their country.
At the African Union, we have been closely
following and are actively seized with the developments in Mali.
This is our duty, it cannot be otherwise: Mali is one of the founding
members of the OAU and the AU, and the principles at stake in the Malian
crises are of particular importance to the continent. Africa cannot
simply fold its arms while 2/3 of the Malian territory is under the
control of armed, terrorist and criminal groups.
The African Union was the first Organization
to react to the attacks against Mali by rebel groups in mid-January
this year. We did so as a matter of principle because there was and
still there is no justification, whatsoever, for the use of arms, particularly
when there are peaceful avenues to address legitimate concerns of a
given group. We did so because we foresaw the likely consequences that
would arise from the resumption of armed conflict in North Mali.
Since January 2012, and working within the framework of the African Peace and Security
Architecture, we have taken a number of steps to contribute, together
with ECOWAS, as well as the core countries and our international partners,
both bilateral and multilateral, in the search for an early solution.
The AU Peace and Security Council has met on several occasions, including
at ministerial and Summit level, to deliberate upon the situation in
Mali. The Commission has dispatched numerous missions to Bamako to interact
with the Malian stakeholders, and we have worked relentlessly to mobilize
the support of the international community for an African-led initiative.
The main challenge today is how to deal with
the dangerous situation in the North of the country expeditiously. In making reference
to this situation, I have in mind the hardships and sufferings faced
particularly by women and children and the civilian population in general.
I also have in mind the destruction, desecration and damage to sites
of holy, historical and cultural significance. I am all the more pained
as I had the privilege, in my then capacity as Foreign Minister of the
Republic of South Africa, of having been involved in a programme supported
by South Africa to conserve ancient manuscripts and the restoration
of monuments in Timbuktu, which are part of Mali’s contribution to
humanity.
Beyond this sad situation, there is the serious
threat that the entrenchment of terrorist and criminal networks pose to the stability of Mali, the region
and beyond. This is a threat we cannot afford to take lightly, and must
hasten to add that the danger it poses extends far beyond the African
continent. The sooner we deal with it, the better.
I am however pleased to note the significant progress thus far made
towards resolution of the institutional crisis occasioned by the coup
d’état of 22 March 2012, while we recognize that challenges still
remain. Yet, we are confident that the Malians will indeed find in themselves,
the collective wisdom and strength to overcome their challenges. Accordingly,
it is critical that all Malians, irrespective of their political affiliations,
close ranks during these trying moments in their history. At stake is
the very survival of the Malian state. Hence, the need for all Malians
to place the interest of the country and its people above any other
consideration. In this regard, it is important that women must participate
and be fully engaged in contributing to finding a lasting solution to
this conflict. Their voice must be heard in the efforts to promote and
sustain democracy in their country. You can certainly count on the support
of the African Union and indeed on my personal commitment to this end.
Let me, in this respect, pay tribute to ECOWAS for its pro-active involvement
in the quest for a solution. We could not expect less from an
Organization that has, over the years, made significant contributions
to the promotion of regional peace, security and stability. May I take
this opportunity to applaud the tireless efforts of Presidents Alassane
Dramane Ouattara, Chair of ECOWAS, as well as H.E Blaise Compaoré and
H.E Goodluck Jonathan, Mediator and Associate Mediator, respectively.
I am also aware of the contribution of the
core countries, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and Niger. For years, they have
endeavoured, within the framework of the structures they have established,
to combat the terrorist and criminal networks in the region.
Let me also express our gratitude to our partners. I am mindful
of the critical role of the United Nations, and the Security Council
in particular. We welcome the adoption of resolutions 2056 and 2071,
in July and in October 2012. I recognize the important role of the EU,
whose strategy on the Sahel will go a long way in strengthening the
efforts of the countries of the region. I acknowledge the contributions
of our other bilateral and multilateral partners.
In Mali and in the Sahel, as in other similar situations, success depends on close
coordination of our efforts and the design of strategies that aim comprehensively
to address the challenges at hand. The AU Commission, working with ECOWAS,
the UN, the EU, the OIF and other partners, has prepared a draft Strategic
Concept articulating in a holistic manner the measures needed to expedite
the resolution of the Malian crises. We intend to submit this
document to our Peace and Security Council on 24 October 2012, before
forwarding it, in light of today’s deliberations and outcome, to the
UN Security Council.
We must pool our efforts, driven only by the interest of the people of
Mali and the priorities they have set. The African Union is fully committed
to such an approach. In this respect, we intend to strengthen
the AU presence in the Sahel to work more closely with countries of
the region and our partners. I intend to shortly appoint a High Representative
as well as to establish an office in Bamako that will oversee our Sahel
programme. This programme is part of the overall efforts of the international
community, within the context of the United Nations, to address the
multi-faceted challenges facing the Sahel region, which relate to peace
and security, development and environmental degradation.
As I conclude, I would like to commend Interim President Dioncounda Traoré for
his determination to lead his country out of its current challenges.
I assure him of the AU’s full support and commitment to contribute
to the creation of the necessary conditions for a stable and democratic
Malian State responsive to the needs of all its citizens, fully exercising
its authority over its national territory and effectively assuming its
responsibilities in addressing regional security and other challenges.
I thank you.
