With its commitment to end instability in Mali, the United States of America today announced that it is embarking on a collaborative effort with Algeris to end the internal insecurity in the African country.
In her remarks following the Meeting With President Abdelaziz Bouteflike in Algiers, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says both leaders have reviewed their strong bilateral relationship, including the fact they had an excellent Strategic Dialogue on a number of issues just last week in Washington.
“And we had an in-depth discussion of the region, particularly the situation in Mali.” -Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton says she appreciates the President’s analysis, based on his long experience, as to the many complicated factors that have to be addressed to deal with the internal insecurity in Mali and the terrorist and drug trafficking threat that is posed to the region and beyond.
Both leaders have agreed to continue with in-depth expert discussions, to work together bilaterally and with the region along with the United Nations, and the African Union, and ECOWAS to determine the most effective approaches that they should be taking.
“So again, I thank the President for his time and very helpful observations, and I look forward to continuing our discussion on a matter that is of particular interest to us both.” -Ms. Clinton
Earlier this month, the UN Security Council Friday unanimously adopted a resolution which is considered as a comprehensive approach to the overlapping governance, security, and humanitarian crises affecting Mali.
Reports say the new resolution urges the African regional groups and the UN to present within 45 days a plan for military intervention in Mali.
The resolution cites that the 15-member Council called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to provide military to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to respond to the request from Mali’s transitional authorities for military intervention to oust the Islamists.
The United States of America underlined its support on the resolution on Mali adopted by the UN Security Council.
In her remarks at Washington DC today, Department Spokesperson Victori Nuland said the resolution accomplishes a number of important objectives: it imposes targeted sanctions against AQIM individuals and entities in Mali, supports a negotiation process to seek a sustainable political solution with the North, provides support and assistance from the UN and member states to bolster planning efforts by ECOWAS and the African Union, and expresses the readiness of the Security Council to respond to the request from the Transitional authorities of Mali regarding a potential force to assist the Malian armed forces.
The violence in Mali has displaced nearly 500,000 people from their homes, and 4.5 million more are suffering from dwindling food supplies.
The United States has already provided more than $378 million to meet the escalating humanitarian needs in the Sahel.
What is happening inside Mali is augmented by the rising threat from violent extremism across the region.
For some time, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and other groups have launched attacks and kidnappings from northern Mali into neighboring countries.
The United States is also stepping up its counterterrorism efforts across the Maghreb and Sahel as well.
The outbreak of conflict in northern Mali was caused by clashes between Government forces and Tuareg rebels.
Tuareg rebels launched a new rebellion in the north on 17th of January. Since then, troops have clashed with rebels in several northern towns.
Tuareg nomads are present throughout the Sahel region of Africa. Both Mali and Niger have battled Tuareg uprisings in the last decade.
The Sahel has regularly been afflicted by food insecurity as drought, poor harvests and rising food prices have left the region on the brink of a humanitarian crisis.
The Sahel belt of Africa stretches from Senegal to Eritrea.
