‘Mali needs nationally-led solution’

The UN Security Council says any sustainable solution on Mali’s security, political and development fronts must be agreed and led by Malians themselves.

A Security Council delegation that recently visited the African country said on Wednesday that any lasting political solution regarding northern Mali must be decided only by the Malians.

Briefing the Security Council, Ambassador Gerard Araud of France said ensuring lasting security in the region should be nationally-led and should be fully supported by the international community.

The Security Council authorized a stabilization mission known as MINUSMA in the African country last April.

The mission’s co-leader Bante Mangaral also told the Security Council that the recent visit to the country has raised hope among Malian people as they believe that “the only path to returning to sustainable peace is through dialogue.”

Chaos broke out in Mali after President Amadou Toumani Toure was toppled in a military coup on March 22, 2012.

The coup leaders said they mounted the coup in response to the government’s failure to contain the Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country, which had been going on for two months.

The Tuareg rebels took control of the entire northern desert region in the wake of the coup d’état, but the Ansar Dine members then pushed them aside and took control of the region, which is larger than France or Texas.