Bern, 14.08.2013 - On 14 August 2013, the Federal Council decided to second up to eight military personnel to the United Nations Mission in Mali to be deployed as unarmed military observers. The decision strengthens Switzerland’s humanitarian, development and peace policy commitment in Mali.
The Federal Council based its decision on the Swiss Armed Forces Act, the relevant resolution of the UN Security Council, and a specific request by the UN that Switzerland participate with up to eight unarmed military personnel in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
The staff officers and experts of the Swiss Armed Forces will – in accordance with the needs of the UN Mission in Mali – be deployed in the areas of humanitarian demining and explosive ordnance disposal, security of munitions and weapons stocks, security sector reform or, if required, military engineering and logistics.
The secondment of unarmed military personnel to MINUSMA is in keeping with the decisions of the Federal Council and Parliament with regard to the involvement of the Swiss Armed Forces in military peacekeeping missions. Moreover, Switzerland’s participation in MINUSMA is also in compliance with the Swiss Armed Forces Act since the mission has been established on the basis of a UN Security Council mandate.
In this way Switzerland is actively involved, also in a military capacity, in the stabilisation of Mali and the Sahel region. Switzerland’s support for MINUSMA complements its long-standing efforts in the areas of humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peace promotion.
In 2012, Switzerland spent a total of CHF15.6 million on development cooperation programmes in the region. Since 2012, Swiss Humanitarian Aid has channelled a total of CHF 38.7m for hunger relief aid into the Sahel and helping to resolve the crisis in Mali. In addition, Switzerland is carrying out a civilian peace promotion programme in Mali to support conflict transformation. Together with the African Union, the European Union, France and other countries, Switzerland has been active as a facilitator in the mediation efforts of the UN and Burkina Faso. This led to the signing, on 18 June 2013, of a preliminary agreement calling for the holding of a presidential election and inclusive peace talks in Mali (“Accord préliminaire à l’élection présidentielle et aux pourparlers de paix inclusifs au Mali”). In addition, Switzerland is a member of the international follow-up and evaluation committee (“Comité international de suivi et d’évaluation”), under the aegis of the UN, that was established under this agreement. The committee’s task is to monitor the implementation of the agreement by the contracting parties and, in particular following the presidential elections, to conduct inclusive talks with all relevant players on the still-unresolved issues that led to the crisis.
Switzerland also participated as an observer in the recently held elections. The secondment of Swiss civilian personnel to MINUSMA and to the EU training mission (EUTM) is also envisaged.
The UN’s request shows that Switzerland is needed as an impartial and competent partner even in extremely complex situations. Switzerland has an interest that Mali and the Sahel region be rapidly and sustainably stabilised - while respecting human rights and international law - not only for humanitarian reasons but also for reasons of security and peace policy and those concerning economic and migration policy. With the secondment of unarmed military personnel, Switzerland is making a significant contribution to achieving this end.
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