There are some embers of hope for a return to peace and stability in restive northern part of Mali with provisional authorities jointly agreed to administer the five administrative regions in this part of the country.
Rebel groups, armed groups that are part of platforms and government officials on June 14, 2016 came to a consensus to put in place provisional authorities to govern each of the five administrative regions, RFI reported. Hopes of return to peace are therefore raised by the fact that some armed rebel groups that had hitherto left peace negotiation talks insisting on separate authorities to govern the regions, finally came back to the negotiation table and signed the final document.
The document signed by the parties specifies that in each of the regions, members of the provisional authority would have to be selected through consensus. They will be made up of representatives of armed groups and those of government. Each of the structures would have a president who would be the provisional head of the local executive. The signatories of the document insisted on the fact that management will be in a concerted manner be it at the level of the region and local councils.
It was agreed that officials of armed groups and those of the State would cohabitate to ensure security and the return of basic social services. Thanks to the agreement, State authorities would be expected in rebel-held areas such as Kidal.
The agreement is expected to become effective soon considering that the final document has the calendar for the putting in place of the authorities, redeployment of State administration as well as technical services such as energy, education and justice. The agreement is therefore a kicker in the re-launch of the peace process in North Mali that has for some years now been hit by fighting and an upsurge in attacks by armed rebels on government forces, UN peacekeepers and the local population.
Emmanuel Kendemeh
