UN Secretariat calls for release of Ivorian soldiers detained in Malian capital
New York, US (PANA) - The Secretariat of the United Nations has expressed "grave concern" about the continued detention since 10 July of Ivorian soldiers in the Malian capital, Bamako, and called for their "urgent release".
A statement on Monday by the Office of the Spokesman for the Secretary-General said the United Nations "reiterates its profound appreciation for the contribution of Côte d’Ivoire to the UN peace operations and mission in Mali, MINUSMA, in particular.
"The Secretariat of the United Nations calls for the urgent release of the detained Ivorian soldiers in the spirit of the fraternal relations between the peoples of Côte d’Ivoire and Mali," it said.
"In this regard, it strongly supports all efforts to facilitate this release as well as the restoration of confidence and promotion of good neighbourliness between the two countries," it added.
The Malian authorities detained 49 Ivorian soldiers at Bamako Airport, saying they were mercenaries that flew into the country to destabilize the government.
It rejected the explanation of the Ivorian authorities and the UN that they were on a rotation mission of the peacekeeping force. Mali a few weeks ago released three women who were part of the group.
Acting Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga in his speech to the UN General Assembly last week blasted the international response to the arrest of the Ivorian soldiers, who, he said, arrived without permission and were considered mercenaries.
Mr. Maiga expressed deep disagreement over statements by UN Secretary-General Antônio Guterres reported in the media.
“Clearly the judicial nature of the infringements around this affair do not fall under the competences of the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” he said.
He also spoke out against statements made by the head of the West African bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, and the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum.
“We ask those who are refuting our version to ask if they would accept the military troops having hidden their identities by saying on their passports that they were painters or builders, would arrive with weapons in their airport without the country of destination having been informed in advance, with the idea of destabilizing the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bamako is asking for a delay of the arrival of a high-level ECOWAS mission, initially scheduled for Tuesday, to discuss the issue because of "calendar constraints".
"The high-level mission announced for Tuesday September 27, 2022 can only be received on Thursday, September 29 or Friday September 30, 2022 in Bamako," said the note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Three West African presidents -- Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo - aim to obtain the release of the detained Ivorian soldiers.
-0- PANA MA/RA 26Sept2022
