Egypt will temporarily halt its participation in the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali starting on Monday due to concerns about the safety of its personnel. Egyptian mission to the UN in New York announced the withdrawal in July, without specifying how long the suspension will last.
The move comes in response to attacks that have claimed the lives of seven Egyptian soldiers assigned to the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) since January.
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established by a Security Council resolution in 2014 to support political processes in that country and carry out a number of security-related tasks.
According to reports, activists supporting Mali’s military-led government are demanding the expulsion of the peacekeeping mission due to MINUSMA’s alleged failure to defend people from attacks. The Egyptian delegation to MINUSMA will be temporarily withdrawn.
