UNITED NATIONS, US
A Chinese envoy on Monday
called for continued international support for Mali after the planned
withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from the country.
Dai Bing, China's deputy
permanent representative to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council
that with Mali's political and peace process at a critical juncture, the
international community should put the overall peace and stability of Mali and the
region first, help Mali address challenges of all kinds, and facilitate deeper
cooperation between the United Nations and Mali in the new context.
There is a need to continue to
support the political and peace process in Mali, he added.
Noting that Mali is facing
many difficulties as the authorities are preparing for general elections,
promoting political reform and implementing the peace agreement, Dai said that
the international community should respect Mali's sovereignty and ownership and
provide constructive support based on Mali's actual needs.
China encourages regional
organizations to strengthen communication with Mali in order to create synergy,
he noted.
Pointing out that MINUSMA is
withdrawing from Mali and the UN Secretariat is formulating a withdrawal plan
and the mission's camps are scattered across the country with a large number of
personnel and equipment, making the task of withdrawal a heavy one, Dai
emphasized that MINUSMA and the UN Secretariat should strengthen communication
with the Malian government and the troop-contributing countries and refine
plans for the handover of camps, withdrawal of personnel and the liquidation of
assets.
China commends the active
counter-terrorism efforts of the Malian authorities, he added.
At present, the political
situations in the countries in the Sahel region are volatile, and terrorist and
extremist forces are taking advantage of the volatility, threatening regional
stability, Dai noted.
"The countries in the
region should resolve their disputes and differences and unite to meet the
challenges. After the withdrawal of MINUSMA, the international community should
not stand aside and do nothing with regard to the efforts by Mali and the
countries in the region to counter terrorism and maintain stability. Instead,
it should continue to provide supporting equipment, logistics and funding and
enhance the capacity of the Malian authorities to combat terrorism and protect
civilians," he said.
There's also a need to
continue to support the countries of West Africa and the Sahel region in
maintaining the momentum of counter-terrorism and security cooperation,
revitalizing cooperation mechanisms and maintaining common security, he said.
The UN agencies should provide
more support in poverty reduction, development, food security, and the
protection of women and children, he said, urging international humanitarian
agencies and major donors to maintain the scale of assistance to Mali and avoid
attaching any political conditions to their assistance.
No comments:
Post a Comment