News of War Staff Writer
Fighters from the Tuareg separatist rebel group MNLA drive in the desert near Tabankort, February 15, 2015. Reuters/Souleymane
Mali Junta Initiates National Peace Talks, Abandoning 2015 Accord Amid Regional Tensions
BAMAKO - In an important development, the ruling junta of Mali announced on Friday the formation of a committee dedicated to organising national peace and reconciliation discussions.
This move comes just a day following the termination of the 2015 peace agreement with Tuareg separatist rebels, a decision that has drawn criticism for potentially exacerbating instability in the already troubled West African nation.
The so-called Algiers accord, which the junta has now discarded, had been a key element in efforts to stabilise Mali. Algeria, sharing an extensive border over 1,300 kilometres with Mali, expressed concerns that this abrupt termination could pose risks to the stability of the entire region.
In what appears to be an effort to establish a new, internally-driven peace process, the decree from Mali's junta meticulously details the structure and operational steps for the newly formed committee. However, it remains unclear which groups will be invited to participate in these talks, as the decree did not specify a timeframe or potential attendees.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the Tuareg rebels, voiced scepticism about this new initiative in a statement to Reuters on Saturday. Describing it as a "staged event" involving groups that already share alignment, Ramadane labelled the effort as futile and a misuse of state resources.
In response to the junta's move, an alliance of Tuareg rebel groups recognised the cessation of the 2015 peace agreement in a statement issued on Friday. They urged their members to reassess and update their objectives in light of the evolving situation.
Mali, located on the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert, has been besieged by conflict since 2012. Initially triggered by an uprising from Tuareg groups seeking autonomy for their region, known as Azawad, the situation escalated when Islamist militants co-opted the rebellion.
The 2015 peace accord, signed between the Tuareg factions and the government in Bamako, aimed to address grievances and bring stability. However, subsequent insurgencies led by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have wreaked havoc, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths and spreading violence to neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso and Niger.
The peace deal's effectiveness has been increasingly questioned, particularly after the military's ascendancy through coups in 2020 and 2021. The junta's collaboration with the Russian military contractor Wagner Group and the expulsion of French forces and U.N. peacekeepers have further complicated the situation.
Recent escalations in hostilities between Malian forces and separatists have been observed since last August, coinciding with the gradual withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers and leading to a tense standoff in the region.