Niger Coup Impeding Withdrawal Of UN Troops From Mali – Spokesperson

A spokesperson from the United Nations stated that the circumstances in Niger Republic have added complexity to the process of withdrawing UN peacekeepers from the neighboring Mali.

“The current developments in the region are making an already complex operation even more complex.

“And the time frame is quite short,” said Florencia Soto Nino, associate spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

“So, obviously, we are looking at how these could affect operations.”

NAN reports that the UN Security Council decided in June to terminate the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

It also gave the mission six months until December 31, 2023 to complete its withdrawal.

The Niger coup could have “a significant impact” on the withdrawal process in the sense that Niger is one of the routes for repatriating personnel and equipment, said the spokesperson.

“And obviously, when a country’s borders are shut down, we can’t do that. So alternate routes will need to be found. And this will inevitably lead to complications in the withdrawal process.”

“Things are still in flux. So the world body is looking at all the possibilities in the region for now,” she added.