Mali – Statement issued by Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (21 August 2018)

I would like to pay tribute to the Malian people for their commitment to the organization, security and supervision of the ballot. The Malian people notably demonstrated that they were not going to allow themselves to be intimidated by terrorist acts. France commends the significant contribution of the various election observation missions and MINUSMA to the smooth holding of the election.

This election is an important milestone in the stabilization and political and economic recovery of Mali, which continues to face the challenges of terrorism, insecurity and development; the seriousness of these challenges now calls for unity and national reconciliation as a matter of urgency.

As President Macron reaffirmed to his counterpart Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, France remains committed alongside the Malian authorities and people, as well as their partners, to ensuring Mali’s security and development. It will continue to support the swift implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation, building on the progress achieved over the last few months, as well as the re-establishment of state presence throughout the territory.