1. On 26 September, the United Nations hosted a high-level meeting on Mali and the Sahel held on the margins of the General Debate of the seventy-third session of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was opened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, together with the President of the Republic of Mali, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration of Niger, H.E. Mr. Kalla Ankourao, in his capacity of chairman of the Group of Five for the Sahel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, H.E. Mr. Abdelkader Messahel, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, H.E. Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, H.E. Ms. Federica Mogherini, and the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), H.E. Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou. The opening session was followed by a ministerial segment co-chaired by the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, H.E. Mr. Smaïl Chergui, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
2. Participantsdiscussed the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (“the Agreement”) originating from the Algiers process and took note of the progress made in its implementation since the adoption of the 22 March roadmap by signatory parties during the 23rd session of the Comité de suivi de l’Accord.Noting that the implementation of the Agreement had entered in its fourth year, participants stressed the urgent need forfurther progress in the coming months, including with respect to key reforms and the implementation of defense and security provisions of the Agreement. They recalled resolution 2432 (2018) providing for the application of sanctions against those who would obstruct the implementation of the peace process in Mali. As a result, the Government of Mali renewed its commitment to the Agreement. The Government of Mali and the United Nations agreed to conclude a Pact for peace, as requested in resolution 2423 (2018).
3. Participants welcomed the successful holding of the presidential elections within the timeframe set by the Constitution, congratulatedH.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta for his re-election, and welcomed his renewed commitment to the swift and full implementation of the Agreement to establish sustainable peace and restore stability in Mali. They underscored the importance of moving forward political and institutional reforms promoting governance and rule of law, such as decentralization and security sector reform, in accordance with the Agreement. They also underscored the importance of prioritizing socio-economic development and the restoration of access to basic social services in the north of Mali.The Government of Mali committed to make additional efforts towards greaterinclusivity and broad-based participation in the peace process, including by political parties, civil society platforms and women groups, to promote national dialogue and reconciliation. With respect to the situation in central regions, the Government of Mali committed to put its full attention and efforts, with the support of Mali’s partners, to address the instability and to review the existing integrated framework of actions to promote simultaneous progress on security, governance, development and reconciliation.
4. Participants invited the Government of Mali and the United Nations to finalise the Pact for peace in accordance with resolution 2423 (2018) at the next session of theComité de suivi de l’Accord in October. Participants, including the international mediation team, recalled the importance of the support of the international community in the implementation of the Agreement.Participants underscored theextension and restoration of legitimate State presence and its services, and the concrete provision of peace dividends to the entire Malian population as central to achieving durable peace. They noted the importance of an inclusive and participatory peace process, encouraging signatory parties to ensure structural participation of women and civil society groups, including through the establishment of dedicated mechanisms.
5. Participants expressed concern in the face of the deterioration of the situation in central Mali and the heavy death toll among civilians. They emphasized the necessity of all parties to protect civilian populations and condemned all parties who were responsible for human rights violations. They condemned violence perpetrated by self-defence and violent extremist groups, including intimidation and attacks, particularly sexual violence against women.They also condemned terrorist acts committed by the enemies of peace against the civilian population, Malian defense and security forces (MDSF), the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel, as well as peacekeepers and international forces with a view to derailing the implementation of the Agreement. Participants commended the joint efforts to stabilize the Centre in the framework of the integrated plan for the central regions. They emphasized the importance to fully restore the presence of the State and its services, including basic social services. 
6. With respect to MINUSMA, they underscored the crucial role played by the Mission in stabilizing Mali. They took note of the capability shortfalls of MINUSMA and called upon Member States to provide it the necessary support. Participants also welcomed progress in the implementation of measures provided for in the report on improving security of United Nations peacekeepers, which resulted in a reduction of fatalities. They emphasized the complementarity of MINUSMA and the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel in stabilising the region.
7. In this regard, participants welcomed the progress in operationalizing the Joint Force and condemned the attack of 29 June against its Headquarters in Sévaré. They expressed solidarity with the Joint Force and concerned countries. They welcomed the European Union’s commitment to rebuild the Headquarters. Participants affirmed that mobilizing adequate support for the full operationalization of the Joint Force was critical to its success and called upon Member States to provide the necessary support to the Joint Force as per the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in his report of 16 October 2017 (S/2017/869) and resolution 2391 (2017). They encouraged the members of the Group of Five for the Sahel to establish a political and strategic framework for the Joint Force.
8. Participants expressed concern about the increasing spill-over of insecurity, the propagation of transnational criminal networks and terrorist groups into Mali and neighbouring countries, in particular Niger and Burkina Faso, and the increased tensions between pastoralists and farmers in the region. They recognized that the strengthening of the peace and development nexus was necessary to sustain peace and ensure inclusive and long-term development and stability in the Sahel region. In that regard, they welcomed the recently re-calibrated United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS) and its Support Plan for the Sahel and encouraged countries in the region to adopt and implement the Support Plan for the Sahel. They also welcomed the mobilisation of the members of the Alliance for the Sahel in the framework of the UNISS.
9. Participants commended ongoing efforts by the African Union to review its Strategy for the Sahel. Participants underscored the need for a holistic and coherent approach in line with national and regional priorities and welcomed the strengthened cooperation between the United Nations and the African Unionto achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and theAfrican Union’s Agenda 2063. They reaffirmed their commitments to a strong, sustainable and mutually supportive partnership to further the causes for a prosperous and peaceful Sahel and to strengthening collective engagement across the Sahel region. Theyencouraged countries in the region to promote greater synergies among existing initiatives and strategies, including those of other regional, sub-regional and bilateral partners working in support of the Sahel. In this regard, they welcomed the outcomes of the High-Level meeting of Regional Organizations in the Sahel organised by the African Union, the ECOWAS and the United Nations, in Abuja, Nigeria, on 17-18 September,aimed at ensuring greater coherence among the various initiatives, and enhance coordination and synergy of actions in their implementation.  
10. In order to fully address the needs in the Sahel and support the implementation of the United Nations Support Plan for the Sahel,participants affirmed that, to ensure a real transformation of the region, resource mobilization would need a more innovative approach and coordination mechanism, including to leverage the assets of the region and the opportunities that the youth and women offer as main drivers of change. In this regard, participantscalled for a massive increase in public and private investment in win-win partnerships.In this regard, the upcoming conference for the coordination of donors and partners of the Priority Investment Plan organised by the Group of Five for the Sahel in Nouakchott, Mauritania, in December 2018, will provide opportunities to further increase support to tackle challenges related to the socio-economic development of the region.

New York, 26 September 2018

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