Bamako, December 8, 2023 - MINUSMA today closed its camp in Sevare, Mopti region, marking the end of its presence in the central regions of Mali. The closure, which follows the closure of the Ogossagou and Douentza bases, also in central Mali, is part of the second phase of the Mission's drawdown. The last remaining Mission personnel, both civilian and military, left the Sevare camp this afternoon.

At the closure ceremony for Sevare, the Governor of the Mopti Region, Abass Dembele, and the Acting Head of the MINUSMA Regional Office, Jens Kristensen, signed documents on the state of the fully operational camp, as well as on compliance with UN environmental regulations and other related issues. The meeting was attended by the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Mali and Head of MINUSMA, El-Ghassim Wane.

MINUSMA has played a crucial role in stabilizing the central regions of Mali. Together with relevant Malian structures, including the Regional Reconciliation Support Teams, and civil society actors, it has facilitated the conclusion of several local peace agreements and supported numerous activities to promote social cohesion, and has done so since 2019, when the Security Council made support for the stabilization of the central regions the Mission's second strategic priority. MINUSMA has also made a significant contribution to creating socio-economic opportunities for local communities, funding numerous projects in areas as diverse as education, health, food security and access to water. It has also contributed to the rehabilitation of various infrastructures, including bridges along the Route Nationale 15 (Route du poisson) linking Sevare to Bandiagra and beyond to Burkina Faso, as well as to the construction and equipping of offices to support the restoration of State authority, and in favor of specific segments of the population, in particular young people and women.

Throughout its presence in the central regions, MINUSMA made the protection of civilians a priority, both through the regular conduct of patrols and through the establishment of temporary operational bases, which, made it possible, from 2020, to help secure populations living in Ogossagou and its surroundings areas, and to lay the foundations for lasting reconciliation between the communities concerned. The Mission also heavily invested in the protection of infrastructure, such as bridges located along the Sevare-Bandiagara axis, which are essential to economic activity and the preservation of the livelihoods of local communities, and in support of the restoration of state authority.
Particular emphasis has also been placed on capacity-building for State actors, whether decentralized administrations or local authorities, and for civil society. In this context, the Mission has organized a number of training workshops in various fields, including human rights, justice, administrative management and many others.

By the end of December 2023, the remaining MINUSMA personnel will leave Mali, completing the Mission's drawdown as mandated by the Security Council at the request of the Malian authorities. The liquidation phase will begin from 1 January 2024.