The United Nations Security Council has agreed in a unanimous decision that a UN peacekeeping force of 12,600 troops should be deployed in Mali from 1 July, to help stabilize the country.
The new UN force which is known as MINUSMA will have the primary duty of providing enough security for nationwide presidential elections to be held on 28 July.
The 15-member Security Council unanimously approved the mandate in April for the 12,600-member force but its deployment had been subject to a council review on Tuesday of Mali’s security situation.
British ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant confirmed the agreement by the UN Security Council for the deployment of the UN peacekeepers to take over from the African-led operation imminently.
“There was unanimous agreement by Security Council members that we should move to the next phase of Mali’s recovery with the deployment of MINUSMA from July 1,” Ambassador Grant.
France began its military offensive in January to drive out militants’ fighters who hijacked a revolt by the Tuareg rebels and seized northern part of Mali and threatened to seize the capital Bamako.
U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous reportedly told the Security Council that he had concerns about properly equipping the peacekeepers.
“It is important to note that we are still seeking pledges for important outstanding capabilities, including medium utility helicopters, armed helicopters, intelligence, information operations and special forces,” Mr. Ladsous told the Security Council.
Mr. Herve Ladsous also expressed concerns about child soldiers and said Chad would be closely monitored because it has been blacklisted by the UN for using child soldiers.
Countries that have child soldiers are barred from participating in U.N. peacekeeping missions children as soldiers.
“Let me assure you that the United Nations is making every effort to screen the Chadian contingent to ensure that no troops under 18 are among them, as well as provide training on child protection issues,” he added.
But Chad has vowed to cleanse its ranks of child soldiers and the United Nations has given the country four months to take steps to end the recruitment of children.
The French forces have led an operation to oust Islamist militants from the north of the country who took advantage of a coup d’état staged by captain Amadu Sanogo in March 2012, to take control of the north of the country including major cities such as Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu where they imposed a strict form of Islamic laws on the people.
France says it will gradually hand over to the Malian army and a 12,600-strong UN peacekeeping force.
France, the former colonial power in Mali says its intends to keep 1,000 troops in the country to work alongside the UN force who will be deployed on 1 July to tackle further militant threats that are likely to imamate from the militants.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
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