Remarks by High Representative / Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the high-level meeting on Mali and the Sahel
MIL OSI Translation. Region: France and French Territories –
Source: European Union External Action
Only the pronounced version is authentic!
I am particularly pleased and honored to participate in this high-level meeting on Mali and the Sahel. We are perfectly aware that we are meeting at an ideal time given the important deadlines in the region. Allow me first of all to greet the President [of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar] Keïta for the good conduct of the elections and for his re-election.
The Sahel is one of the top priorities of the European Union and its Member States. The European Union – together with its partners in the Sahel – is looking for sustainable solutions to the challenges of the region: this was the goal of the High Level International Conference on the Sahel in Brussels last February, and all our actions.
It is essential to maintain the mobilization of the international community in the long term, including in the realization of the announcements made at the Brussels Conference.
To help the Sahel countries meet the challenges facing the region, the European Union has developed an integrated approach based on three axes.
Firstly, politically and diplomatically, our belief, which I believe is shared with the United Nations and the African Union, is that all the actors in the region must become more involved, and take their responsibilities in favor of the stabilization of the Sahel and more particularly of Northern Mali. This is the message we received during the last session of the Monitoring Committee of the Peace Agreement in Mali.
Secondly, in terms of security and stabilization, we continue on the path agreed with the G5 countries [Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad]. The equipment we have financed for the Joint Force has arrived in the region and is being transported to the Force. Moreover, as we have indicated, we are ready to rehabilitate the Force Headquarters in Sévaré, attacked this summer, on the basis of the decisions that will be taken by the main stakeholders in this regard. The Coordination Hub, which met in early September, in the presence of G5 representatives, made progress in defining needs.
This is the spirit of our partnership: we put our strength, often our resources, in support of the needs indicated by you, the Sahel countries. Because no one knows your needs and aspirations better than yourself.
Conscious of the stakes of stability of the region, we mobilized nearly 400 million euros additional for the countries of the Sahel during the last Board of Directors of the Emergency Trust Fund.
I would also like to recall the presence of three European Union civilian and military missions in the region, including Mali and Niger, which aim to help train the security forces and advise the authorities on the reforms to be made. start to improve their security sectors, at national as well as regional level. These missions also support the establishment of the police component of the joint force in Niger and Mali.
Thirdly, in terms of development, the European Union is already very committed to the Sahel region, particularly in the more fragile and cross-border areas. The EU's overall development assistance to the G5 Sahel countries amounts to nearly € 4 billion in seven years. The European Union and its Member States together provide € 8 billion in development assistance to the region. We think this is the best investment we can make for our own stability and security.
The security situation continues to deteriorate in northern and central Mali. Several urgent projects are waiting for the government. In particular, there is an urgent need to ensure the effective presence of the State throughout the country, and the pursuit of national reconciliation, to reduce tensions between communities as well as regional divisions.
On the peace process, we can not just repeat the same messages year after year. Malian actors, signatories or not of the Agreement, must position themselves either in favor of the Agreement or against it. And assume the consequences with consistency.
In this context, we welcome the Security Council's renewed sanctions regime against those who impede the peace process and call on its members to make it effective.
Beyond the sanctions, we call on Mali and the Sahel countries to develop a real regional strategy to tackle organized crime and trafficking that hinder the implementation of the Agreement and finance terrorists in Mali and the Sahel . The European Union is and will be with you in this issue.
Together, you are stronger, that's why we decided to invest a lot in G5 Sahel. Together, you and we are all stronger. Europe and the Sahel share the same interests – I often say that we now share the same region – so it is natural for us to invest more and more in our friendship, our cooperation and our partnership.
Thank you.
Link to the video: https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I160929
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and / or sentence structure not be perfect.