The United States on Wednesday welcomed the peace accord signed between Mali's government and Tuareg rebels belonging to the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), and called for its immediate implementation.
The peace pact signed on Tuesday in Ouagadougou, capital of neighboring Burkino Faso, was the result of ten days of intense negotiations. It provides for an immediate ceasefire and paves the way for countrywide presidential elections next month.
Under the deal, the rebels agreed to give up their fight for independence of the Azawad region in the country's north, and accept Mali's territorial integrity over the region. The agreement also requires the MNLA rebels to allow government troops to return to the northern town of Kidal, which they captured after a French-led offensive forced militant Islamists out of the town in January. Mali's government had earlier threatened to seize Kidal by force if the rebels failed to agree to a peace deal.
"The United States welcomes the preliminary agreement on presidential elections and inclusive peace talks in Mali signed by the interim Government of Mali and northern armed groups. The agreement clears the way for the return of Malian administrative and security authorities to Kidal to permit the holding of presidential elections there on July 28," said a statement issued by State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The negotiations that led to signing of the peace deal were mediated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, and President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, with the support of the African Union and the U.N.
Psaki noted that the peace deal sets the stage for a second phase of negotiations and inclusive dialogue with an elected Malian government aimed at fostering national reconciliation and building a sustainable peace in the North African nation.
"We applaud the leadership of the ECOWAS, African Union, and U.N. mediators and international partners. As an active participant in the efforts of the international community in Mali, we welcome the opportunity to support efforts to oversee implementation of the agreement," she added.
Islamist militants and Mali's Tuareg rebels captured most of the country's northern region in April 2012 amid chaos triggered by a military coup. Nonetheless, their alliance quickly collapsed after the Islamists marginalized the Tuareg rebels and began enforcing strict Islamic laws across the region.
France began its military campaign in Mali in January 2013 after the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) authorized foreign military intervention in the conflict. The move came after rebels captured several towns in central Mali and threatened to advance further into the government-controlled south.
Subsequently, French-led forces recaptured northern Mali from the rebels. The security responsibility of the recaptured region will soon be taken up a 12,600-strong U.N. peacekeeping force before planned elections on July 28. The U.N. force, known as the the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), will incorporate thousands of West African troops (AFISMA) already in the country to support the French intervention.
U.N. Secretary General ban Ki-moon had welcomed the deal on Tuesday itself, noting that it "commits the parties to discussing sustainable peace in Mali through an inclusive dialogue that will take place after the election." He also urged the two sides "to begin implementation of the agreement at once."
Next month's presidential elections are considered a key step in Mali's transition process, and the U.N. and the European Commission have already signed a financing agreement for EUR14.8 million in support of the electoral process.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.