Warnings of a security vacuum after the withdrawal of peace forces from Mali

Shaaban Bilal (Bamako, Cairo)

Experts and political analysts have warned of the repercussions of the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali on the security situation, considering that this step may lead to a military and security vacuum in this West African country that is witnessing a growing spread of terrorism.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali completed its withdrawal after a decade of work after the authorities requested earlier in 2023 to end the UN mission, which has a strength of about 12,000 members, by last December 31.
Dr. Nermin Tawfiq, a researcher specializing in African affairs, considered that the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces from Mali comes in light of the developments taking place in the West African region in general, most notably changes in authorities and military coups.
Tawfiq explained in a statement to Al-Ittihad that the United Nations mission has been present in Mali for years and is supposed to leave after performing its tasks, which include maintaining peace and security and combating terrorism, but after the recent military coups, the scene has changed and there has been a rejection of international interventions, including security forces. Peace and the United Nations mission.
The researcher pointed out that the exit of the United Nations is a kind of pressure on the ruling regime in Mali because it represents a vacuum in the military situation, noting that the country is suffering from the activity of terrorist groups that carry out operations targeting civilians, which harms the situation there, at a time when the French and Western presence is being lost. Its influence in West Africa, whether in Mali, Niger, or elsewhere, is for the benefit of other powers, and there has become popular rejection of their interventions. For her part, Dr. Sally Farid, Head of the Department of Politics and Economics at the Faculty of Graduate African Studies at Cairo University, stated that the differences have worsened over the past months between the ruling military junta in Mali and the European Union countries, especially France and Germany, and the United Nations believes that this situation does not help to continue. Mission.
Dr. Sally Farid indicated in a statement to Al-Ittihad that the past three months have witnessed a significant increase in the frequency of terrorist attacks, especially in northern Mali, which caused the death of more than 40 people, the displacement of about 45 thousand, and the closure of more schools. She stated that the withdrawal of peacekeeping forces may lead to a security vacuum that worsens the humanitarian conditions, especially in light of the departure of French forces, the cessation of European exercises at the end of 2022, and the tension in relations between the West and the ruling authority in Mali.
The researcher specializing in African affairs, Mohamed Ezzedine, agreed on the repercussions of the withdrawal of peacekeeping forces on the eruption of the situation and the occurrence of unrest as a result of the security vacuum and the return of fighting, especially in countries that have not witnessed a real agreement between the armed movements.
Mohamed Ezzedine told Al-Ittihad that the presence of extremist movements, the continued conflict over power, the withdrawal of France, and the eruption of the situation in Niger and Burkina Faso led to a change in the pattern of fighting again in light of the withdrawal of peacekeeping forces, which have military capabilities to confront armed movements and limit their spread.