What Is Next for Mali? The Roots of Conflict and Challenges to Stability
Abstract
In January 2013, France launched military operations in northern Mali. Backed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2085 (December 2012) that authorized the deployment of an African-led International Support Mission in Mali, Operation SERVAL sought to wrest control of northern Mali from al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and affiliated groups. The reestablishment of security in the country s north was a necessary prerequisite for addressing other factors in Mali s complex crisis, namely the coup that overthrew the civilian government and the long-running Tuareg nationalist movement. Dr. Dona J. Stewart's monograph explores the underlying root causes of the complex crisis in Mali that created a safe haven for militants and criminals in the country's remote and impoverished northern region. A series of Tuareg rebellions, the latest fueled by the so-called Arab spring and the end of Muammar Gaddafi's regime, combined with increasing AQIM activity, severely strained the central government's ability to maintain security. AQIM quickly capitalized on the security vacuum created by the March 2012 military coup. Today, a significant level of physical security has been reestablished in the north and a new president has been elected; but Mali must overcome significant challenges in order to achieve long-term stability. Dr. Stewart argues that long-term stability in Mali must address the economic and political disparities that undermine effective national integration.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA589391
Entities
People
- Dona J. Stewart
Organizations
- United States Army War College