United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali

Org type	Peacekeeping Mission
Status	Dissolved
Headquarters	Bamako, Mali
Website	Official website in English: https://minusma.unmissions.org/en

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (French: Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation au Mali, MINUSMA) was a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. MINUSMA was established on 25 April 2013 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2100 to stabilise the country after the Tuareg rebellion of 2012, and was terminated nearly a decade later on 30 June 2023. Officially deployed on 1 July 2013, MINUSMA was the UN's second-most dangerous peacekeeping mission after Lebanon, with 304 peacekeepers killed out of a force of about 15,200 as of May 2023.

Apart from MINUSMA, there currently are two further international peace operations in Mali. These are the European Union missions EUCAP Sahel Mali and EUTM Mali.

History

In 2012, Tuareg and other peoples in northern Mali's Azawad region started an insurgency in the north under the banner of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad. After some initial successes and complaints from the Malian Army that it was ill-equipped to fight the insurgents, who had benefited from an influx of heavy weaponry from the 2011 Libyan civil war as well as other sources, elements of the army staged a military coup d'état on 21 March 2012. Following the coup, the rebels made further advances to capture the three biggest cities in the north: Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal. Following economic sanctions and a blockade by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the country, a deal, brokered in Burkina Faso by President Blaise Compaoré under the auspices of ECOWAS, was signed that would see Amadou Sanogo cede power to Dioncounda Traoré to assume the presidency in an interim capacity until an election is held.

On 1 July 2013, 6,000 of a future total of 12,600 UN peacekeeping troops officially took over responsibility for patrolling the country's north from France and the ECOWAS' International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA). The group was expected to play a role in the 2013 Malian presidential election. The force is the third largest UN peacekeeping force in operation in the world.

On 16 June 2023, the Foreign Minister of Mali requested that the United Nations terminate MINUSMA due to what he called its "failure" to stabilize the situation there. The UN peacekeeping mission is set to end on 30 June 2023.

Organisation and forces

Its headquarters are in the Malian capital city, Bamako. Military intelligence will be evaluated by the Force Headquarters U2-Intelligence Section.

The force was led by Danish Major General Michael Lollesgaard in 2015 and 2016, Belgian Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck until 2 October 2018, after which he was succeeded by Lieutenant General Dennis Gyllensporre of Sweden. The force commander in November 2021 was Dutch Lieutenant-General Johannes Matthijssen.

As of 30 September 2021 (2021 -09-30)^[update], countries contributing with police and military personnel are: