Photo : AFP
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : AFP
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
Mali: The withdrawal of German troops deployed under the UN mission
On 3 May, the German troops started shipping the first components of equipment as part of their withdrawal of nearly 1000 troops from Mali under the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA. The decision comes after a tussle with the Malian military government followed by the deployment of the Russian forces. The German commander in Mali, Colonel Heiko Bohnsack, told German daily, Tagesspiegel, that as part of the initial withdrawal, the materials will be slowly removed; meanwhile, the troops will remain to complete their mission. However, the German government has proposed a one year extension of the mission until May 2024, waiting for its approval in the lower house of parliament. ("German troops deployed to UN mission begin withdrawal from Mali" AlJazeera, 3 May 2023)
Sudan: UN Chief calls for end to fight
On 3 May, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, told the reporters in Kenya that there should be an immediate end to the conflict in Sudan before it could escalate to a full-scale war. He iterated on the humanitarian crisis brought by the destruction of hospitals and looting of food and aid warehouses. A new seven-day truce has been agreed between the warring factions after multiple failed ceasefires. The UN humanitarian Chief, Martin Griffiths, previously mentioned about the looting of six trucks sent by the UN World Food Programme in the Darfur region despite many security assurances. Additionally, Griffths said that he is trying to bring collective commitment from the warring parties to allow supply of the humanitarian aid. (“UN chief calls for end to fighting in Sudan,” BBC, 3 May 2023)