Mali

**Mr President of the General Assembly,** **Heads of State and Government,** **Mr Secretary-General of the United Nations,** **Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,** At the outset, I would like to convey the warm greetings of His Excellency Colonel Assimi GOÏTA, President of the Transition and Head of State of Mali, as well as those of the Government and people of Mali. I wish to extend, Mr President, the sincere congratulations of the Malian delegation on your outstanding election to the presidency of the 79th session of the General Assembly. Your beautiful country, Cameroon—our brotherly and friendly African nation—enjoys excellent relations with Mali. You can count on our full support during your tenure. We also commend your predecessor, Ambassador Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, for the admirable manner in which he led the work of the 78th session of the General Assembly. Lastly, allow me to reiterate to Secretary-General António Guterres our encouragement for his continued efforts to realise the noble goals of our shared Organisation. --- **Mr President,** On 26 June 1945, by signing the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco, the peoples of the world committed themselves to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Now, 79 years later, we are invited to reflect on the theme: *"Leave no one behind: Working together to deliver peace, sustainable development and human dignity for all."* Is the timing of this theme a mere coincidence or the result of deliberate reflection? We do not know. Yet, what is clear is that the issue of safeguarding not only future generations but our own continues to press with urgency. Is this a failure of the United Nations? Perhaps not outright, but a **realistic and objective evaluation** of our collective system is urgently needed to ensure its future relevance. --- **Mr President,** Mali welcomes the relevance of this theme, particularly given the ongoing wars and tensions that threaten peace, security, development, and fundamental rights. This is the view of a country that, since 2012, has faced a **complex, multidimensional crisis**—with over half its territory lost at one point, and countless innocent lives claimed—due to the **unholy alliance between terrorist groups and armed factions**. --- **Mr President,** Mali’s tragedy began when the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda on 11 September 2006. This situation was worsened by NATO's disastrous military intervention in Libya in 2011, destabilising the entire region by fuelling terrorism, arms trafficking, money laundering, manipulated inter-communal conflicts, and violence perpetrated by foreign-backed groups. Confronted with the **failure of international forces** deployed since 2013, Mali’s authorities decided to reclaim their sovereignty. Since Colonel Assimi GOÏTA was sworn in as President of the Transition on 7 June 2021, Mali has undertaken a comprehensive programme of reform and military restructuring. --- Through the **National Refoundation Conferences**, launched in December 2021, Malians conducted a nationwide diagnostic and adopted **517 major recommendations**. These reforms address the root causes of the crisis and provide a blueprint for rebuilding the nation. Mali, having been **violated, humiliated, and betrayed**, now embraces a realist geopolitical vision inspired by a Bambara proverb: *"The tastiness of some people's sauce depends on the theft of others' cattle."* As Hobbes noted, *"Man is a wolf to man."* This reflects the reality of international relations and the plunder of Africa’s resources for others’ benefit. The President calls on Malians to **“become themselves again”**—a call formalised through the **National Programme for Education in Values**, launched on 23 April 2024. Its goal is to root Mali’s future in its **cultural and spiritual heritage**. Mali’s national motto expresses this identity: - **One People**: a cosmopolitan family, - **One Goal**: unity in diversity for the common good, - **One Faith**: trust in God and in the resources granted to us to achieve prosperity. Professor Ibrahim Ndiaye, a member of the Education Values Committee, identifies five cardinal values of being Malian: - Human dignity - Empathy - Responsibility to transmit values - Honour - Respect for difference and otherness These are coupled with five **inalienable principles**: Mali is indivisible, inalienable, unhypothecable, not a private possession, and eternal. --- **Mr President,** In “being themselves,” Malians have forged a **third path**: neither predators of others nor eternal victims. This middle path is based on **sovereignty, mutual respect, non-interference**, and partnerships on a **win-win basis**. These principles are **shared** by our brothers in **Burkina Faso and Niger**. In line with the National Refoundation Conferences, Malians opted to **implement political reforms before elections** to anchor good governance. This has resulted in: - Creation of an **Independent Electoral Management Authority** (AIGE) - Adoption of a **new Constitution** via referendum in July 2023 - Territorial and administrative reorganisation - Strengthened anti-corruption measures - A revised mining code supporting **local content** --- To preserve **national unity**, the President announced an **Inter-Malian Dialogue for Peace and Reconciliation** in December 2023, aiming to root out community conflict. Conducted in three phases (communal, regional, national), this process fostered inclusive dialogue among Malians at home and abroad. Unlike the **Algiers Peace Agreement**—whose signatories included **terrorist collaborators** and which served as a pretext for foreign interference—the Inter-Malian Dialogue was a **home-grown initiative**. Since the Algiers Agreement ended in January 2024, this Dialogue has become the sole framework for internal conflict resolution. It is vital for achieving **a peaceful return to constitutional order** and organising presidential elections. --- On the **security front**, Mali’s **autonomous military actions** have regained control of all regions, notably **Kidal** on 14 November 2023. Terrorist groups are now severely weakened. Mali understands that security alone is not enough. Hence, it has adopted a **comprehensive national strategy**, including: - Political and administrative reforms - Economic and social development - Basic services provision - Dialogue with armed groups Nonetheless, **foreign state sponsors** continue to support terrorism. Particularly, **Ukrainian officials** openly violated UN principles when, during July 2024, they **admitted to involvement in a terrorist attack on Malian forces in Tinzawatène**. --- **Mr President,** In response to ongoing threats, the Presidents of **Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger** created the **Alliance of Sahel States (AES)** by signing the **Liptako-Gourma Charter** on 16 September 2023—a framework for collective defence and mutual assistance. Ten months later, on 6 July 2024, they established a **Confederation** focused on Diplomacy, Defence, and Development—with the aim of forming a Federation. This alliance has achieved significant results in combating terrorism through **joint operations and shared resources**. On 19 August 2024, the AES states jointly wrote to the UN Security Council: - Denouncing Ukrainian support for terrorism - Condemning aggression against Mali - Requesting sanctions on Ukrainian authorities Meanwhile, Mali is still awaiting a response to its 15 August 2022 letter to the Security Council about **French aggression**, including: - Armed terrorism - Economic terrorism - Media terrorism --- Spanning over **2.7 million km²**, with **71 million mostly young inhabitants** and vast mineral wealth, the AES Confederation is united by: - Dignity and honour - A commitment to end terrorism - A mission to honour the fallen—Sahelians and foreigners alike - A resolve to **defend and develop peacefully** Yet, **imperialist and neo-colonial actors**, particularly within ECOWAS, have responded with hostility. As the Malian saying goes, *“Try too hard to cast away a frog, and it will land in a good pond.”* **AES is open to all investors**, provided they **respect sovereignty** and **benefit local populations**. --- **Mr President,** I also salute Mali’s **fruitful cooperation with Russia, China, Türkiye, Iran**, and other sincere partners. Mali remains open to all who wish to assist in addressing its many challenges. We thank **President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria**, whose 29 August 2024 remarks reaffirmed Algeria’s support for Libya, Niger, and Mali. However, I must also draw attention to two inappropriate remarks by Algerian officials. - On 31 July 2024, Algeria’s Foreign Minister dismissed Mali’s military efforts and praised the **now-defunct Algiers Agreement**. - On 26 August 2024, Algeria’s UN Representative made **baseless accusations** about drone strikes and civilian casualties in Mali. These statements constitute **unwarranted interference**, misrepresenting facts, and undermining Mali’s sovereignty. **No one loves Mali more than Malians**, and for **every word or bullet against us**, we will respond **in kind**. To those **diplomatic agitators**: stop **rewriting history**. Mali is not an Algerian province (“wilaya”). Learn your history and geography. --- **Mr President,** Regionally and globally, Mali remains alert to unfolding events. We are deeply concerned by the violence in **the occupied Palestinian territories** and reaffirm our support for **Palestinian self-determination**. Mali supports the **two-state solution** and condemns the **indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli army**. Humanitarian crises—driven by war, climate change, and natural disasters—have displaced millions. I extend special thoughts to Malian refugees and thank host countries for their generosity. Mali will continue working to enable **safe, dignified returns**. --- We call for reform of: - The UN’s **peace and security architecture** - **Global political, economic, and financial governance** - **International financial institutions**, such as the IMF and World Bank We welcome **credible alternatives** such as the **BRICS**. Climate change is a genuine threat. We must move beyond narrow interests and **implement decisions from our summits and COPs**. Countries responsible for climate change must **support the Global South’s sustainable development**. --- **Mr President,** This 79th session takes place amid profound challenges to states and multilateralism. Global peace and security have **never been more threatened**—including by **terrorism and violent extremism**. In this context, achieving the **2030 SDGs**—on education, health, clean water, energy, and justice—will be extremely difficult. Yet, despite adversity, Mali remains **committed to its national and international obligations**, and **hopeful for the future**. > - May God bless Mali and protect its people from dark and destructive forces. > - May God bless the Sahel Confederation and protect Sahelian peoples. > - May God bless Africa and shield Africans from the forces of destruction. > - May God bless the world and preserve all humanity from the forces of darkness. **Thank you for your kind attention.**