Mali often sees armed conflicts, leading to concerns. Many parties are involved in the conflicts including the Malian government, the Coalition for Azawad Movements (CMA), consisting of three armed groups including the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the Arab Movement of Azawad (MAA), and Islamist groups including the Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). As per the reports of the BBC, thousands of people have been killed and there are other negative outcomes including the displacement of hundreds of thousands, a severe humanitarian crisis with millions needing aid and widespread psychological trauma. But —more importantly— it remains unclear whether and how much armed conflicts will end in Mali.
Armed conflicts are not new in the Republic of Mali. Mali has seen many armed conflicts after its independence in 1960 due to the struggle for independence, long-standing marginalization and neglect and other reasons. But the ongoing conflict started with the 2012 rebellion by Tuareg rebel groups that consist of several armed groups including the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad that sought independence for the north region which they call Azawad. But, after relative peace during the past several years, these have recently escalated with increased hostilities after the killings of more than 80 government soldiers in 2023 and the Mali government’s ending of the 2015 peace deal with the northern rebels in January 2024. Decades of instability, including Tuareg rebellions, coups and the presence of armed groups, continue to fuel violence in Mali, though its rigor has decreased significantly.
Peace accords based and other efforts have raised the hope of ending conflicts in Mali. But the 2015 Algiers Peace Accord — officially called the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali — that was signed in early May 2015 at Mali’s capital city Bamako between Malian parties and Algeria-led Mediation Team is a notable advancement. The United Nations-brokered accord that addresses security, development, justice and humanitarian concerns ended the 2012-2014 conflict between the government and Tuareg rebels and has largely reduced armed conflicts in Mali. Moreover, several international partners such as the United Nations, Canada and the European Union have played a vital role in providing humanitarian aid and peacebuilding in Mali, while local efforts emphasize traditional reconciliation methods and community engagement.
But there are various flaws in the efforts, leading to the limited outcomes of peace measures. There is slow implementation of the 2015 Algiers Peace Accord, which has excluded key actors involved in the Malian conflict and failed to include or at least consider the options of involved parties, and a lack of desirable national and international efforts to improve governance. There is an absence of effective implementation mechanisms of the accord. Limited political will has also contributed to the less success of peace efforts. The 2015 peace deal mainly intends to end conflicts between the government and Tuareg armed groups and does not take into account the conflicts among other groups.
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Efforts have been undermined by persistent insecurity, political instability and the junta’s rejection of international security support, leading to the departure of foreign peacekeeping forces and worsening security conditions. Measures are also less to address various root causes including poverty, economic disparities and long-standing grievances over marginalization and the lack of representation of northern Mali, which withdrew UN peacekeeping forces in 2023. Community-based reconciliation initiatives were less emphasized. But other challenges also persist. The presence of various armed groups and ethnic militias including the Fulani and Bambara makes the situation complex and difficult to address in Mali, leading to a difficulty in ending conflicts and insurgencies, which were the main reason for the military’s seizing power in 2020.
But conflicts need to be ended with the aim of bringing peace to the entire Mali, where conflicts take place among different armed groups, along with between the government and Tuareg groups. The implementation of the 2015 Accord may be helpful. But Mali needs to seek peace from a holistic viewpoint and promote reconciliation among different ethnic groups. For this, challenges including the lack of political will and a lack of trust among the parties need to be addressed — effectively. Cooperation with neighboring countries will be helpful, as they can help address cross-border security threats and stabilize the broader Sahel region, which influences Mali’s internal dynamics and increases the chance of conflicts.
But holding talks among the parties involved in conflicts will be helpful to end conflicts in all regions including the north and central Mali. Measures are also needed to address the challenges to ending armed conflicts and their root causes in Mali. Putting emphasis on inclusive governance and addressing grievances including marginalization is vital. Economic and other concerns including the lack of representation and human rights abuses need to be addressed by the Malian government.
