The members of the Security Council carried out a mission to Mali and Niger from 23 to 25 October 2021.  

In Mali, the members of the Security Council met with the Transitional Government of Mali, including the Transitional President, the Prime Minister, the signatory armed groups, representatives of the civil society, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Mali and head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and representatives of the UN country team. 

In Niger, the members of the Security Council met with the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Force Commander of the G5 Sahel Joint Force (FC-G5S) and representatives of the UN country team. 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong support for the countries of the Sahel region in their efforts to address multifaceted challenges in terms of the security, development and humanitarian situation. 

In Mali, the members of the Security Council reiterated their strong support for the mediation efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). They encouraged the continuation of dialogue between Mali and ECOWAS. 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their call for the Malian transitional authorities to achieve the Political Transition, the return to constitutional order and the handover of power to democratically elected civilian authorities within the agreed timeline set out in the Transition Charter and in accordance with these transitional authorities’ own commitments and the decisions of ECOWAS of 30 May 2021 and of 16 September 2021. While noting the work done by the transitional authorities to foster dialogue and lay the foundations for reforms, the members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of respecting the timeline for the organization of free and fair elections as requested by ECOWAS and resolution 2584 (2021) and as agreed by the transitional authorities. The members of the Security Council urged the transitional authorities to present a timetable to this end.  

The members of the Security Council recalled their firm commitment to the implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (“the Agreement”). They were encouraged by recent commitments made by the transitional authorities in advancing the Agreement’s implementation and urged the transitional authorities and the signatory armed groups to make further progress to effectively fulfil the priority measures referred to in paragraph 4 of resolution 2584 (2021) before the end of MINUSMA’s current mandate. The members of the Security Council met with women representatives of the signatory armed groups and reiterated the importance of ensuring full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all the Agreement’s implementing mechanisms. 

The members of the Security Council were encouraged by the intention of the Malian transitional authorities to agree on a comprehensive politically-led strategy to protect civilians, reduce intercommunal violence, and re-establish State presence and authority as well as basic social services in Central Mali. They urged the Malian transitional authorities to uphold their efforts to effectively implement such strategy by the end of MINUSMA’s current mandate, as well as to continue fighting against impunity for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law. 

The members of the Security Council commended the SRSG and MINUSMA’s efforts to implement MINUSMA’s mandate and paid tribute to the peacekeepers who lost their lives by holding a commemorative ceremony in Bamako. 

In Niger, the members of the Security Council assessed the level of operationalization of the FC-G5S, including the implementation of the human rights compliance framework referred to in S/RES/2391 (2017) and the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy on UN support to non-UN security forces, as well as the concurrent efforts implemented by the G5 Sahel and the UN in the political and development fields.  

The members of the Security Council reiterated their deep concern regarding the impact of the activities of terrorist organizations, including those benefiting from transnational organized crime, on peace and security in the Sahel region and in the African continent, and underlined the importance of continuing counterterrorism efforts. 

The members of the Security Council exchanged views with the authorities in Niger on the security, development and humanitarian situation in the Sahel, including efforts to protect refugees and internally-displaced persons, the adverse effects of climate change, ecological changes and natural disasters, among other factors, on the stability of the Sahel region,including through drought, desertification, land degradation and food insecurity, emphasized the need for adequate risk assessment and risk management strategies by governments of the Sahel region and the United Nations relating to these factors, and commended the measures taken by the Government of Niger to address this situation. A commemorative ceremony was organised to pay tribute to civilians who lost their lives following terrorist attacks and to fallen soldiers.