Bamako no longer wants Paris to write the resolutions concerning it at the United Nations.
In a letter sent on Wednesday March 1 to Pedro Comissario Afonso, current President of the Security Council and Mozambique's ambassador to the UN, the Malian government announced its decision to withdraw France's status as penholder of the resolutions concerning Mali in the Security Council.
"
France has always carried the pen on all issues concerning Mali before this august body, including with regard to the initiative and the carrying of draft resolutions relating to the mandate of MINUSMA
", explains in the letter the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop.
Recalling its accusations against France of "
destabilizing
", the transitional government "
officially challenges the status of France's penholder on all questions examined by the Security Council concerning Mali
".
The penholder role refers to the Board member who leads the negotiation and drafting of resolutions on a particular item on the Board's agenda.
Since 2012, when the country is facing an internal crisis under the threat of jihadists and Tuareg separatist groups, France has been responsible for this role when the Malian situation is on the agenda.
Last August, the transitional government in Bamako lodged a complaint against France with the UN Security Council for acts of aggression, subversion, destabilization and violation of Malian airspace by aircraft of the forces French armies.
So many facts which, "
at the very least, question the objectivity and impartiality of the French Republic
", also notes in his letter the head of Malian diplomacy.