The 127th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Considering the worsening situation of insecurity in the north of the country following the region’s occupation since January 2012 by armed terrorist, fundamentalist and separatist groups with links to drug trafficking rings,

Considering the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation resulting therefrom and the numerous human rights violations perpetrated by these groups of terrorists, fundamentalists and separatists, in particular amputations, stoning, murders, rape and other acts of sexual violence as well as theft, pillaging and the destruction of cultural and religious world heritage sites,

Considering the Malian people’s attachment to a secular and indivisible Republic of Mali,

Considering that the international community has unanimously condemned the affront to Mali’s territorial integrity,

Considering the efforts deployed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU) and the United Nations to solve the institutional and security crisis, which is reversing all the development gains made by the Malian people,

Considering:

(a) the presidential statement on Mali endorsed by the 126th IPU Assembly on     5 April 2012,

(b) European Parliament resolution 2012/2603(RSP) of 20 April 2012 on the situation in Mali,

(c) ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly resolution ACP-EU/101-157/A of 30 May 2012,

(c) the ECOWAS Parliament resolution of 8 October 2012 on developments in the process of managing the political and security crisis in the Republic of Mali,

Considering similar requests made by ECOWAS and supported by the African Union, the French President and others to the UN Secretary-General,

Considering UN Security Council resolution 2071 (2012) adopted on 15 October 2012 by virtue of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, with a view to the deployment of an international armed force to restore the territorial integrity of Mali,

Recalling UN Security Council resolutions 1325, 1820, 1888 and 1889 on women, peace and security, in which the Security Council calls for women to be fully involved in all decision-making related to conflict prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding,

Considering the commitment made by the EU to dispatch military instructors to reorganize the national armed forces,

Considering the meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group on Mali, held on 19 October 2012 in Bamako,

1. Reaffirms its unreserved attachment to the integrity and unity of Mali, the secular nature of the Republic and the country’s national sovereignty, which belongs to the Malian people alone;
2. Condemns the serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed in the north of the country by armed rebels and groups of terrorists, fundamentalists and separatists, in particular acts of violence against civilians, notably women and children, murders, amputations and stoning, as well as pillaging and the destruction of cultural and religious world heritage sites;
3. Welcomes the initiative taken by the acting President of the Republic to seek the support of ECOWAS and the international community in liberating the north of the country;
4. Congratulates ECOWAS and the AU on providing support to the Malian people in their fight against terrorism and the groups of rebels and extremists occupying the north of the country;
5. Welcomes the commitment made by the EU and the United Nations to help Mali rid itself of the terrorist groups holding sway in the north of the country;
6. Also welcomes the commitment and political will clearly expressed by the French President in support of the Malian people’s struggle to liberate the north of the country and his endeavours to resolve the unprecedented institutional and security crisis facing the country;
7. Appeals to the countries of the subregion to do all they can to maintain calm and security in the Sahel-Saharan belt;
8. Urges the transitional authorities in Mali to ensure that women can fully and meaningfully participate in all decision-making processes related to peacebuilding and governance;
9. Thanks the countries of the Support and Follow-up Group on Mali for their initiatives to help the Malian armed forces retake the north of the country;
10. Welcomes the resolution adopted by the Security Council with a view to sending an international military force to help the national armed forces retake control of the occupied regions in the north of the country;
11. Urges the armed forces of Mali to cooperate fully with the international military force to be deployed;
12. Also urges the transitional government to do all in its power, in keeping with its road map, to regain control of the north of the country and hold free and fair elections once the crisis has abated;
13. Expresses its unreserved support for the strategy presented by the UN Secretary-General with a view to mobilizing all agencies, funds and programmes as well as international financial institutions for the Sahel;
14. Calls on the international community to lift sanctions and on technical and financial partners to resume cooperation with Mali following the approval of a road map by the AU on 24 October 2012;
15. Requests the relevant international organizations as well as donor countries and agencies, in conjunction with non-governmental organizations operating in the region, to provide emergency food aid, drinking water and shelter for Malian refugees and displaced persons and to facilitate the release of hostages;
16. Entrusts the IPU with conveying this resolution to all its Members, Associate Members and Observers and other international organizations.

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