Photo : Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah, Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah, Reuters
IN BRIEF
By Narmatha S
Sudan: UN terminates mission in Sudan
On 1 December, the UN Security Council voted to end its mission, UNITMAS, in the war-torn Sudan. 14 members voted to end the mission while Russia abstained. The mission would come to an end on 3 December. The Sudanese military government stated that the mission failed to reach its objectives. DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, stated: “The Security Council just voted to close down UNITAMS, but the UN is not abandoning the Sudanese people.” UNITAMS was established in June 2020 to support the country in a 12-month transition towards a civilian government. Its mandate was extended in 2021 and 2022. (“Security Council agrees to terminate UN mission in Sudan,” United Nations, 1 December 2023)
West Africa: Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to create a federation
On 1 December, a two-day meeting was held in Malian capital Bamako, where the foreign ministers of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso met. During the meeting, they proposed establishing a confederation uniting the West African countries. In September, the military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States, a mutual defence pact. The latest meeting aimed at elaborating the functions of the defence alliance. Africanews quoted foreign ministers of the West African countries stating the “great potential for peace, stability, diplomatic strength and economic development that a strengthened political alliance offers." (“Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger look to form a federation,” Africanews, 1 December 2023)