Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution tabled on behalf of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Foreign Affairs on the reconstruction and democratisation of Mali. It welcomes the French intervention of 11 January 2013 in support of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Mali as a first step and calls for strong EU involvement in this process. Members welcome the establishment of the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission on 6 March 2013, but are deeply concerned about the situation in Kidal, where Tuaregs from the MNLA are still refusing to hand over control to the Malian army and are therefore seriously hampering the reconstruction process. Members urge the swift implementation of the roadmap for transition of 29 January 2013 to the elections on 28 July and 11 August 2013, welcoming the intention of sending an EU electoral observation mission, as requested by the Malian government.

Parliament also welcomes the mediation efforts by the President of Burkina Faso in the ongoing negotiations between the Malian government and Tuareg rebels, reiterating its determination to support the re-establishment of the State administration throughout the territory of Mali and the forthcoming holding of elections, including in Kidal Region and in refugee camps. Parliament underlines the important complementary role of the EU Training Mission (EUTM Mali) in providing decisive assistance in building the longer-term capacity of the Malian army.

It adds that the longer-term stability, security and territorial integrity of the country requires not only that violent and radical extremists – and traffickers in arms, drugs and people – are defeated but that alternatives to the illegal activities of impoverished people and unemployed youth are promoted.

Members feel that the EU should, in light of the Malian crisis, make necessary adjustments to the European Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel , with better integration between the development and security pillars of the strategy, and for better coordination of its policy instruments. They stress the need to improve the EU's early warning systems .

Parliament goes on to call on calls on the VP/HR to set out options for providing support similar to the work of EUCAP Sahel Niger for the reform of the broader security sector in Mali by assessing whether this could be done through an extension of the mandate of EUTM Mali or EUCAP Sahel Niger, or through the creation of a new CSDP Mission dedicated to the broader reform of the civilian security sector.

It calls on the EU and its international partners to implement their mutual commitments following the conclusions of ‘Together for a New Mali’, the high-level donor conference held on 15 May 2013 in support of the Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of Mali.

Parliament stresses the importance of the following:

· adequate funding and improved coordination, both at EU level and with other international donors, with a tailor-made approach that reflects the progress made towards implementing the roadmap and restoring the rule of law;

· logistic and technical support to help Malians fight against drug trafficking and the proliferation of arms, inviting all countries in the Sahel region to coordinate their respective security policies with a view to formulating a strong response to trafficking;

· reform of the Malian armed forces, and the broader security services, to be stepped up under democratic and civilian control;

· the provision to continue of humanitarian aid to populations in need, and for measures to be taken to ensure the free and voluntary return of the refugees.

Lastly, it commends the efforts of the African countries that contributed to AFISMA and welcomes, equally, the establishment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), expressing its hope that MINUSMA will soon be fully operational and that the security situation will be such that it can be deployed on 1 July 2013.

T7-0281/2013

Debate in Parliament

B7-0205/2013

B7-0206/2013

B7-0254/2013

The EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions which may be summarised as follows:

it welcomes the outcome and the conclusions of the high-level donor conference for development in Mali held on 15 May in Brussels in support of the Plan for the Sustainable Recovery of Mali. It calls on Mali and all international partners to implement their mutual commitments as part of an effective and coordinated follow-up to the conference and emphasises that Mali is entirely responsible for implementing the Transition Roadmap ; it reiterates its support for the preparation of a credible electoral process and its readiness to continue to provide technical and financial assistance for such a process, in close coordination with the United Nations, and the other parties involved on the ground. In that context, the Council supports the decision of the High Representative to deploy an election observation mission at the request of the transitional authorities; it recalls the importance it attaches to the protection of civilian populations , to the observance of human rights and to compliance with international humanitarian law . The fight against impunity and the full implementation of justice must constitute a fundamental element of reconciliation; it reiterates its support for the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission and encourages it to start work as soon as possible in order to ensure a national, inclusive dialogue open both to civilian representatives and to non-criminal and non-terrorist armed groups that have laid down their weapons; welcomes the crucial contribution made by the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA) to the full restoration of Mali's territorial integrity and supports its conversion into a United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) under United Nations Security Council resolution 2100 (2013); reiterates its readiness to discuss, in the context of the CSDP and other relevant instruments and in the light of the conclusions of the donors' conference, the options for urgent support for the Malian authorities in the area of internal security and justice in order to contribute to the lasting stabilisation of the whole country, in close collaboration with MINUSMA; it welcomes the progress made by the EUTM Mali military mission in providing advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces, including in the areas of human rights and international humanitarian law.