Mali asks Security Council to approve ECOWAS intervention under Chapter VII

Letter dated 28 September 2012 from the Secretary-General addressed

to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to transmit a letter dated 18 September 2012 from Mr. Dioncounda Traoré, interim President of the Republic of Mali, and Mr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mali (see annex). The letter requests the adoption of a resolution by the Security Council, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, authorizing the deployment of an international military force to Mali to assist the Malian army in restoring the territorial integrity of the country.

I should be grateful if you would bring the present letter and its annex to the attention of the members of the Security Council.

(Signed) BAN Ki-moon

Letter dated 18 September 2012 from the interim President and the Prime Minister of Mali addressed to the Secretary-General

Sir,

For several months, Mali has been facing an unprecedented security crisis in the northern part of the country. Three regions in the North have been occupied by armed groups including terrorists, drug traffickers and criminals of every sort.

Those groups have been violating the most basic rights of the population on a daily basis. In particular, they have carried out summary executions, looting and rape, as well as destroying historic monuments in Gao and Timbuktu. The humanitarian situation is alarming and growing worse by the day.

In view of the intensification of criminal and terrorist activities in northern Mali, which pose an immediate and ultimately global security risk, I requested the help of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 1 September 2012 in connection with the liberation of the northern territories and the fight against terrorism and other illicit activities.

I hereby request the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing the intervention of an international military force under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations in order to assist the Malian Army in recapturing the occupied northern regions.

The Government of Mali would appreciate the immediate presence of such a force in order to support Mali’s defence and security forces in exercising their sovereign missions of regaining control, preserving territorial integrity and protecting persons and property.

I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate the gratitude of the people and Government of Mali to ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations for their constant efforts towards a lasting solution to the Malian crisis, which also endangers stability in the subregion, Africa and beyond.

I should be grateful if you could circulate this letter to the members of the Security Council.

(Signed) Dioncounda Traoré

Interim President of the Republic

(Signed) Cheick Modibo Diarra

Prime Minister 

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