The Diplomat
The Spanish government yesterday expressed its support for the transition in Mali, a country which, following the coup d’état of 18 August 2020, is immersed in a process that is due to begin next year with the calling of elections and the opening of a new political cycle.
This support was expressed by the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Latin America and the Caribbean, Cristina Gallach, who took part in Lomé (Togo) in the meeting of the Second Support Group for the Transition in Mali, constituted in November last year and made up of the African Union, neighbouring countries of Mali, the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union, as well as the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Germany and Spain.
Gallach, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a communiqué, stressed that Spain considers Mali to be “a partner of strategic priority with shared security and stability interests” and expressed the Spanish government’s willingness to support the efforts of the transitional government “to hold fair, free and transparent elections within the established timeframe that reflect the democratic will of all Malians”.
“The return of the state throughout the territory, the provision of basic services and a more transparent and inclusive governance must also be addressed,” he said.
During the meeting, which was attended on this occasion by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Malian Transitional Government, the evolution of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for northern Mali signed in Algiers in 2015 was also discussed.
In its communiqué, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that given the importance of Mali for the stability of the Sahel, the success of the transition process is also “of vital importance to effectively address the complex security, social and economic challenges facing this region”.
Coinciding with the celebration of International Women’s Day, the State Secretary announced that an exhibition on the cultural legacy of Malian women will be held in Spain in May at Casa África.
During her visit to Lomé, Cristina Gallach held meetings with the foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Algeria. She also met with the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Smail Chergui, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Sahel and Mali, Mahamat Annadif, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean Pierre Lacroix, among others.
