Mali: Third Consultation Session for Peace Kicks off in Algeria
By Staff Writer
Third consultation session of the inter-Malian dialogue has got under way in Algiers, Algeria with the participation of Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Mauritania, the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) along with various Malian groups.
Ramatane Lamamra Algerian Foreign Minister in his opening remarks stressed the need to encourage all actions aimed at achieving peace in northern Mali.
He underlined the importance of the meeting, which is being held after the signing of two documents on peace in Northern Mali, the territorial integrity of the Republic of Mali and the inclusive dialogue among Malian groups.
The Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA), the Coalition for the People of Azawad (CPA) and the Co-ordination of Patriotic Resistance Movements and Fronts (CM-FPR) on Saturday signed a preliminary agreement in Algiers which they re-affirmed "full respect for the territorial integrity and the national unity of Mali".
On June 9, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA) and MAA signed the Algiers Declaration in which they expressed willingness to work for "the consolidation of the ongoing appeasement process and engage in an inclusive inter-Malian dialogue".
Lamamra hailed all efforts for lasting peace in Northern Mali, and underlined the "exploratory consultations" conducted by Algiers which had helped to reach a new step in inter-Malian dialogue and reconciliation in this Sahel country.
Mali's Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, accompanied by the ministers of national reconciliation and humanitarian action, re-affirmed the commitment of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita for the restoration of peace and reconciliation throughout the country.
Diop also paid tribute to Algeria for its efforts to help Mali find a lasting solution to the crisis, and hailed the importance attached by other stockholders particularly the Sahel countries and international community to the peace process in his country.
Algeria has made huge facilitation efforts to bring together several armed movements of northern Mali in Algiers to find a solution to the crisis in the neighbouring country, ravaged by a war that has been threatening its territorial integrity since 2012.
Since the outbreak of the conflict, Algeria, at the request of the Malian authorities, has made every effort to bring about the necessary conditions for an inclusive dialogue between the different movements of northern Mali and the central government in Bamako, with a view to restoring peace and security in the country.
Algiers has become a top destination for Malian and African officials in search of rapid and lasting solution to the conflict.
Since March 2012, Mali is split in two. Two thirds of the national territory including the cities of Kidal, Gao, Timbuktu and a part of the region of Mopti are occupied by armed groups.
During his visit to Algiers last January, Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita asked President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for Algeria's help to resolve the crisis in Mali.
In response to the request, Algeria has held a series of meetings with the aim to resume exploratory consultations with different parties to the conflict and create the required conditions for the launch of an inclusive dialogue.
Algeria's facilitation efforts have been greatly supported by the Malian armed movements and government and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).