• Ladies and Gentlemen, It is a singular honour for me to take the floor before this august Assembly to deliver, on behalf of His Excellency Army General Assimi GOITA, President of the Transition, Head of State, the statement of the Republic of Mali.
I extend to you, Mr. President, the warm congratulations of the delegation of Mali on your brilliant election to the presidency of the eighty-first session of the General Assembly, and I assure you of the cooperation of the Malian delegation throughout your term of office.
I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to your predecessor for the remarkable manner in which he conducted the work of the eightieth session of the General Assembly.
Lastly, I wish to express our sincere thanks to His Excellency Mr. António GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his commitment, over the past ten years at the head of our common Organization, to the service of peace, development and human rights throughout the world.
• Excellencies,
• Ladies and Gentlemen, Mali welcomes the theme of the eighty-first regular session of the General Assembly, namely “Restoring trust, accompanying transformations: a United Nations that serves all”.
This theme is relevant and timely because, beyond the reflection it prompts on how our Organization can regain its credibility and effectiveness in an international context of multiple crises and challenges to multilateralism, it above all calls for restoring trust among Member States in order to find common and appropriate solutions to the many challenges of our time.
How can this be achieved?
For its part, Mali reaffirms its unwavering attachment to a reformed multilateralism, based on the strict respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the sovereign equality of States, respect for the territorial integrity of States, the prohibition of the use of force, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of States.
By moving away from these principles, we inevitably move closer to cycles of conflict.
We all know this: flagrant violations of international law, its selective application, the persistence of the policy of double standards in the management of crises throughout the world, and the abusive use of force, of threats, and policies of hegemony, subjugation and domination, in violation of the Charter of our Organization, have considerably eroded the trust of the world’s citizens in international institutions, in particular the United Nations.
Accordingly, Mali calls for the lifting of unilateral coercive measures, which undermine the sovereignty of States and endanger the lives and well-being of the populations of the thirty or so countries affected by these sanctions.
To all these practices that weaken current global governance is added the slowness of anticipation on the part of the United Nations, which obliges it, after the fact, to stand by powerlessly as an observer of the crises shaking the world.
This is the case in the Sahel, which has, for more than a decade, been confronted with a security crisis caused in particular by the military intervention of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Libya in 2011. A military adventure with unmanaged risks, NATO’s military action in Libya considerably worsened the security, political, humanitarian and human rights situation in our region, notably through the spread of terrorism and violent extremism.
In the face of this grim picture, it is legitimate to question the effectiveness of the levers available to our Organization. That is why we welcomed the strategic review process of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, which should lead to an arrangement more consistent with the realities and concerns of the populations concerned.
The Government of Mali reiterates its firm condemnation of international terrorism and of its foreign State sponsors, which finance, arm, provide logistics and intelligence for this organized transnational crime.
Following the initial statements by Ukraine, which as early as 2024 acknowledged its support for terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, that country publicly reiterated, at the Summit level, its interference in Africa.
Today, beyond our States, other independent sources corroborate these unacceptable actions by Ukraine.
In the face of history, the international community, and Africa in particular, cannot continue to maintain a guilty silence in the face of Ukraine’s acts of aggression, with their enormous consequences for African countries and beyond. We are not deceived: Ukraine is only the visible part of the iceberg of the destabilization of our countries.
Terrorism, sustained and supported, manifests itself in armed, economic and media forms, particularly through organized and systematic disinformation, of which our countries are victims at the hands of certain media nostalgic for a bygone colonial past.
The complex and coordinated attacks of 25 April and 04 July 2026 in several localities in Mali, which caused numerous victims, constitute proof of a dangerous connection.
Unsurprisingly, the scenario played out in 2012 is being repeated, with armed terrorist groups and so-called separatist armed groups forming an avowed terrorist coalition against the Malian institutions and populations.
Regional and international responses, including the deployment of international forces, have not made it possible to contain these complex security crises and the massacres of the populations of the Sahel.
This is why Their Excellencies Captain Ibrahim TRAORE, President of Faso, Head of State and President of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), General of the Army Assimi GOITA, President of the Transition, Head of State of the Republic of Mali, and General of the Army Abdourahamane TIANI, President of the Republic of the Niger, Head of State, took the historic decision to create, on 6 July 2024 in Niamey, Niger, the Confederation of Sahel States, in order to take charge of the destiny of our countries.
From its creation to the present day, the AES Confederation has made it possible to achieve real and encouraging progress in its various areas of action.
I reaffirm here the determination of our three Heads of State to continue and intensify this fight against terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations.
The delegation of Mali fully endorses the statement to be delivered by His Excellency Mr. Karamoko Jean-Marie TRAORE, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of the Niger.
Malian Forces, acting alone and within the framework of the Unified Force of the AES, as well as with the support of the Russian Federation, are today on the front line of the fight against imposed terrorism, a proxy hybrid war whose stakes go beyond our area and threaten other regions.
I also salute all the partners who continue to support Mali and the countries of the Sahel in this difficult context.
Victory over terrorism, this global existential threat, calls for the pooling of efforts and resources, but also and above all for a shared understanding of the terrorist phenomenon, because, contrary to what some want us to believe, there is no good terrorist and bad terrorist.
To reinforce this momentum, the three member countries of the AES Confederation remain open to cooperation with all partners who so wish and who respect the cardinal principles that now govern public action in our countries, namely respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our States, respect for our strategic choices and partnerships, as well as taking into account the interests of our populations. We have no injunctions to receive; rather, we expect sound and sincere collaboration and partnership.
In this dynamic, Mali, in accordance with the principles and goals of its foreign policy, will continue to place its diplomatic action within the dynamic of promoting good-neighbourly relations, respect for sovereignty, mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
I take this opportunity to bow my head to the memory of all the victims of cowardly terrorist barbarity, and who heroically fell on the field of honour.
Furthermore, I pay vibrant tribute to our defence and security forces for their courage, their professionalism and their unfailing commitment to defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries and to protecting our civilian populations.
I wish particularly to salute the memory of General of the Army Sadio CAMARA, Minister of Defence and Veterans, whose legacy, marked by patriotism, courage and sacrifice, will continue to inspire many generations of Malians.
To strengthen the security measures essential to the lasting return of peace in Mali, the Government is resolutely working to implement a comprehensive, integrated and coherent strategy for the stability and prosperity of the country.
Through this strategy, the State keeps its hand extended to all those who are ready to lay down their arms and rejoin the Republic, in accordance with the conclusions of the Inter-Malian Dialogue and the National Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation. Already, thousands of former combatants who meet the conditions have either joined the ranks of our defence and security forces or taken up civilian functions.
The sovereignty of Mali is dear to us and is not negotiable. It is not limited to the defence of the territory but must also enable our country to control its economic choices, control and develop its natural resources, strengthen its productive economy and create more opportunities for its youth.
It is in this spirit that the Government remains committed to implementing the Mali Kura Vision 2063 and the National Strategy for Emergence and Sustainable Development (SNEDD 2024-2033).
These two programmes, both ambitious and structuring, aim to respond, in a coherent and sustainable manner, to the legitimate aspirations of the Malian populations. They constitute the pact of the generations and reflect the determination to build a sovereign State, a competitive economy, a just society and a country where every citizen will be able to fulfil themselves and flourish in dignity.
The Government has placed economic recovery and the well-being of the populations at the heart of its action, indispensable links in achieving lasting peace and stability.
Thus, through appropriate reforms, in addition to political governance, the Government has considerably improved economic governance, in particular the efficient management of public affairs and the increased mobilization of domestic resources.
Public expenditure is now being directed towards structuring investments in productive sectors and in support of better access for populations to basic social services, training and employment for young people and women.
This ambition also entails strengthening the local processing of our natural resources, developing national production capacities and making Malian youth a major actor in our economic and social transformation.
Mali intends to continue its national Refoundation, in order to durably guarantee security, justice and well-being for all its daughters and sons.
At the regional and international levels, the Government of Mali remains very attentive to the evolution of the situation in Africa and in the rest of the world.
In this regard, Mali encourages efforts towards the rapid and lasting resolution of the various conflicts on the Continent.
With regard to the situation in the Middle East, Mali reaffirms its full support for the brotherly Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to exist as a full-fledged State.
Let us face the facts: the international order is at the hour of major upheaval and profound change. Ignoring this will move us further away from the most appropriate solutions.
The question is no longer whether we are moving towards a multipolar world, but rather who the major actors of the various poles will be and how these actors intend to cooperate to respond to the aspirations of the Peoples of the planet that we share.
In this new complex and turbulent international environment, Mali intends to pursue a foreign policy based on the sovereign equality of States, the diversification of its partnerships, the defence of its national interests and constructive engagement.
Our objective is to achieve the strategic autonomy of Mali, the AES and Africa, both in the field of security and in that of development. This strategic autonomy is not synonymous with rupture but rather aims to make Africa a credible and indispensable partner for the stability and prosperity of the world.
Climate change and desertification constitute, for Mali and for the Sahel, a factor of economic, social and environmental vulnerability which not only directly affects agricultural activities and livelihoods but also constitutes a threat to peace and security.
Thus, Mali invites Member States to place emphasis on adaptation, access to climate financing and endogenous technologies, as well as on solutions adapted to Sahelian realities.
We advocate better articulation between combating desertification, food security, water management, risk and conflict prevention and the resilience of territories.
The world is experiencing exceptional technological advances, among them generative artificial intelligence, another challenge at the heart of the passionate debates of our day. It is a strategic technology that offers considerable possibilities and also presents risks.
But we must be clear-sighted: AI must not be only a technology that we consume. It must become a technology that we master, that we adapt to our realities and that we contribute to developing.
This ambition implies defining our priorities and putting in place an appropriate legal and ethical environment.
For Mali, digital and technological sovereignty now constitutes an essential dimension of national sovereignty.
In particular, we must invest in the skills, research, innovation and infrastructure necessary so that our young people can participate fully in this transformation. That is why the Head of State has established the Mali Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which promotes the country’s digital sovereignty.
On issues of international migration, Mali, as both a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants, renews its commitment to international cooperation and considers that human mobility is an asset for humanity. It calls for respect for the rights of migrants, in accordance with the relevant provisions of international conventions.
In conclusion, Mali recalls that our multilateral framework, embodied by the United Nations, is at a crossroads.
The time has come for us to assume our common and shared responsibility for a reformed United Nations, fairer, more representative and truly at the service of all peoples, without distinction.
This is the essential condition for restoring the confidence of Member States and Peoples in the Organization.
This implies, in particular, strengthening representativeness within multilateral institutions and making the voice of Africa heard more strongly in the bodies where decisions are taken that commit the future of our world.
Mali reaffirms its readiness to contribute to the common efforts of the international community for a peaceful world, safer, fairer, more prosperous and more united.
I thank you for your kind attention.