Vietnam calls for more efforts for peace in Mali

MINUSMA troops patrol in Gao, Mali. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy called for more efforts toimplement the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali while chairing theUN Security Council’s quarterly briefing and consultations on Mali on April 6.

At themeeting held via through videoconference, Quy, Permanent Representative ofVietnam to the UN and President of the UNSC in April, described politicalprogress in Mali as modest and condemned recent attacks against civilians, securityforces and peacekeepers.

Expressinghis concern over worsening security and humanitarian situations here, he calledfor strict implementation of international laws on humanitarian and humanrights, including not impending humanitarian activities and protectingcivilians, especially women and children.

Thediplomat also commended efforts of the UN Multidimensional IntegratedStabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the African Union, and the UN Officefor West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) in assisting peace progress in Mali.

Jean-PierreLacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, provided an update onthe political transition, the implementation of the 2015 Peace andReconciliation Agreement and thesecurity situation in central and northern Mali.

He calledin particular for a strengthened response on the issue of terrorism and violentextremism in the Sahel region and strongly condemned the terrorist attackagainst a MINUSMA camp on April 2, which killed four Chadian peacekeepers and injured19 others.

Participantscommended Mali’s transitional Government for working to maintain politicalmomentum, pressing authorities to set a timeline for the holding of free andfair elections and calling on all parties to accelerate implementation of the2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement./.

VNA