Security Council resolution 2056 (2012) [on the situation in Mali]
Symbol: S/RES/2056(2012)
Date: 2012-07-05
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/67 [225] MALI--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Subjects: Economic Community of West African States|Qaida (Organization)|African Union|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|POLITICAL CONDITIONS|MALI|ARMED INCIDENTS|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE|TERRORISM|MEDIATION|CEASEFIRES|HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|SUDANO-SAHELIAN REGION|RULE OF LAW
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: AZERBAIJAN
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COLOMBIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: GUATEMALA
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: MOROCCO
vote: yes
country: PAKISTAN
vote: yes
country: PORTUGAL
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: TOGO
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                     S/RES/2056 (2012)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                5 July 2012




               Resolution 2056 (2012)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 6798th meeting,
               on 5 July 2012

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its Presidential Statements of 26 March 2012 (S/PRST/2012/7) and
               of 4 April 2012 (S/PRST/2012/9) as well as its Press Statements on Mali of
               22 March 2012, 9 April 2012 and of 18 June 2012,
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, unity and territorial
               integrity of Mali,
                     Condemning the forcible seizure of power from the democratically elected
               Government of Mali by some members of the Armed Forces of Mali on 22 March
               2012 and commending the efforts of the Economic Community of West African
               States (ECOWAS) and of the African Union (AU), and the cooperation of
               neighbouring countries and other countries in the region, in assisting with the
               restoration of the constitutional order in Mali,
                    Acknowledging the positive steps taken by Mali towards the restoration of
               constitutional rule, including by the signing on 6 April 2012 of a Framework
               Agreement for the restoration of constitutional order under the auspices of the
               ECOWAS mediator, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso,
                    Reiterating its full support to the mediation efforts of ECOWAS and the AU
               and welcoming the continued good offices of the Secretary-General including
               through his Special Representative for West Africa,
                     Stressing the need for close and continued dialogue between the Transitional
               authorities and the different political actors and civil society in Mali on the various
               challenges faced by the country,
                    Underscoring the need to reinforce civilian control of the Malian armed
               forces,
                     Reiterating its strong condemnation of the attacks initiated and carried out by
               rebel groups against Malian armed forces and civilians,
                   Reiterating its categorical rejection of statements made by the National
               Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) regarding the so-called



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               “independence” of Northern Mali, and further reiterating that it considers such
               announcements as null and void,
                     Expressing serious concern about the insecurity and rapidly deteriorating
               humanitarian situation in the Sahel region, which is further complicated by the
               presence of armed groups and terrorist groups and their activities, as well as by the
               proliferation of weapons, from within and outside the region, that threaten the
               peace, security and stability of regional States,
                    Expressing deep concern at the increased terrorist threat in the North of Mali
               and the region due to the presence of members of Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb
               (AQIM), reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes
               one of the most serious threats to peace and security and that any acts of terrorism
               are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever and by
               whomsoever committed,
                    Expressing concern at the increase in incidents of kidnapping and hostagetaking by terrorist groups with the aim of raising funds, or gaining political
               concessions, and expressing the need for this issue to be addressed,
                     Expressing grave concern at the worsening of the humanitarian situation in
               Mali and at the increasing number of displaced persons and refugees,
               acknowledging the humanitarian support provided by countries in the region and
               international partners to Mali and its neighbouring countries and renewing its call
               for increased mobilization of the international community to support humanitarian
               efforts, and for all parties in Mali to allow for impartial, neutral, full and unimpeded
               access for humanitarian aid,
                     Condemning strongly the desecration, damage and destruction of sites of holy,
               historic and cultural significance, especially but not exclusively those designated
               UNESCO World Heritage sites, including in the city of Timbuktu,
                    Taking note of the Conclusions of the meeting of the Support and Follow up
               Group on the Situation in Mali held on 7 June 2012 in Abidjan, of the Communiqué
               of the Peace and Security Council of the AU of 12 June 2012 and of the
               Communiqués of ECOWAS of 3 May 2012 and 29 June 2012,
                    Determining that the situation in Mali constitutes a threat to international
               peace and security in the region,
                    Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

               Restoration of the constitutional order
                    1.    Expresses its full support to the efforts of ECOWAS and the AU in Mali,
               with the support of the United Nations, and encourages them to continue to
               coordinate closely with the Transitional authorities of Mali for the restoration of
               constitutional order;
                    2.    Calls upon all national stakeholders in Mali to create the necessary
               conditions for enabling the Transitional authorities to fully exercise their primary
               responsibilities and to ensure the full restoration and preservation of constitutional
               order;
                    3.   Takes note of the ECOWAS non-recognition of the National Council for
               the Recovery of Democracy and the Restoration of the State (CNRDRE) as a legal


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           entity in the transition, decides that the said CNRDRE shall be dissolved and further
           demands that its members refrain from any interference in political matters and in
           the work of the Transitional authorities;
                 4.    Urges all members of the Malian armed forces to respect constitutional
           order, civilian rule and human rights;
                 5.   Condemns in the strongest terms the physical assault against the Interim
           President of Mali, Mr. Dioncounda Traoré, on 21 May 2012, calls for the
           perpetrators to be brought to justice and supports in this regard the announced
           establishment of a Malian investigation commission, and calls upon all Malian
           stakeholders to desist from unlawful conduct, harassments and acts of violence and
           to support the work of the Transitional authorities;
                 6.   Takes note of the decisions of ECOWAS and AU to adopt targeted
           sanctions in Mali and reserves the right to consider appropriate measures as
           necessary;
                7.    Calls for the safe return to Bamako as soon as possible of Interim
           President Dioncounda Traoré and for his security to be assured;
                 8.    Expresses its support to the Transitional authorities in Mali led by the
           Interim President and the Prime Minister of the Transition, and decides that the
           Transitional authorities shall develop, within the framework of an inclusive national
           dialogue with the political forces and civil society including legitimate
           representatives of the northern regions and with the support of ECOWAS and other
           international partners, a road map setting out the tasks to be carried out peacefully
           during the Transition so as to ensure the consolidation of the institutions of the
           Republic of Mali, especially the reorganization and restructuring of the Malian
           defence and security forces, the restoration of State authority throughout the
           territory of Mali, and the organization of free, transparent and fair presidential
           elections within 12 months of the signing of the Framework Agreement for the
           restoration of constitutional order;

           Territorial integrity of Mali
                 9.   Demands the full, immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities by
           rebel groups in the North of Mali;
                10. Calls upon all groups in northern Mali, including the MNLA, Ansar Dine
           and foreign combatants on Malian soil, to renounce all affiliations incompatible
           with peace, security, the rule of law and the territorial integrity of Mali;
                 11. Expresses its support to all efforts made by the Transitional authorities of
           Mali, with the support of ECOWAS, the AU, neighbouring and other countries in the
           region, and the United Nations, aimed at seeking a peaceful solution to the situation
           in the North of Mali mindful of the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of
           Mali, and calls upon Malian rebel groups to enter into an appropriate political
           dialogue with the Transitional authorities of Mali to this end;
                 12. Requests the Secretary-General to provide support to ongoing mediation
           efforts, including through the good offices of his Special Representative for West
           Africa;




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                     13. Calls upon all parties in the North of Mali to cease all abuses of human
               rights and violations of international humanitarian law, condemns in particular the
               targeted attacks against the civilian population, sexual violence, recruitment and use
               of child soldiers and forced displacement, recalls in this regard all its relevant
               resolutions on women and peace and security, on children and armed conflict, and
               on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, and stresses that the perpetrators
               shall be brought to justice;
                     14. Demands that all parties in Mali ensure full, safe and unhindered access
               for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid to persons in need of assistance and
               further demands that all parties and armed groups take appropriate steps to ensure
               the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, equipment and supplies, in
               accordance with international law, including applicable international humanitarian,
               human rights and refugee law;
                     15. Acknowledges the cooperative policy of neighbouring States, including
               Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Niger in keeping their borders open for
               refugees and in facilitating the passage of humanitarian personnel, equipment and
               supplies, and encourages these States to continue this policy and contribute to a
               stabilization of the situation wherever possible;
                     16. Stresses that attacks against buildings dedicated to religion or historic
               monuments can constitute violations of international law which may fall under
               Additional Protocol II to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the
               International Criminal Court, to which Mali is a State Party, and further urges all
               parties in Mali to immediately take appropriate steps to ensure the protection of
               Mali’s World Heritage sites;

               ECOWAS security support
                     17. Takes note of the request of ECOWAS and the African Union for a
               United Nations Security Council mandate authorizing the deployment of an
               ECOWAS stabilization force in order to support the political process in Mali and
               assist in upholding the territorial integrity of Mali and in combating terrorism;
                     18. Expresses its readiness to further examine the request of ECOWAS once
               additional information has been provided regarding the objectives, means and
               modalities of the envisaged deployment and other possible measures, encourages in
               this regard a close cooperation between Malian Transitional authorities, the
               Commission of ECOWAS, the Commission of the African Union, and countries in
               the region in order to prepare detailed options and further requests the Secretary-General to support the Commission of ECOWAS and the Commission of the African
               Union in preparing such detailed options;

               Fight against terrorism
                     19. Reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of Al-Qaida and other
               individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with it, for criminal acts of
               kidnapping, ongoing and multiple criminal terrorist acts aimed at causing the deaths
               of innocent civilians and other victims, destruction of property and greatly
               undermining stability, including in the North of Mali and the Sahel region;
                    20. Urges all rebel groups in Mali to refrain from any form of association
               with AQIM and to combat the threat posed by terrorist groups in Mali, and recalls in


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           this regard that acts or activities indicating that an individual, group, undertaking or
           entity is associated with Al-Qaida include: participating in the financing, planning,
           facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with,
           under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of; supplying, selling or transferring
           arms and related materiel to; recruiting for or otherwise supporting acts or activities
           of Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof and further
           calls upon all Member States to implement robustly their obligations pursuant to
           resolution 1989 (2011);
                 21. Calls upon Member States to consider and undertake measures to prevent
           the proliferation of all arms and related material of all types in the Sahel region, in
           particular man-portable surface-to-air missiles, consistent with resolution 2017
           (2011);
                 22. Urges Member States to assist efforts to undertake reform and capacitybuilding of the Malian security forces in order to reinforce democratic control of the
           armed forces, restore the authority of the State of Mali over its entire national
           territory, to uphold the unity and territorial integrity of Mali and to reduce the threat
           posed by AQIM and affiliated groups;
                  23. Urges Sahel and Maghreb States to enhance interregional cooperation
           and coordination in order to take all necessary measures to develop strategies to
           combat AQIM activities and to contain further progress of AQIM elements and
           affiliated groups in the Sahel and Maghreb regions, including the interdiction of
           smuggling of arms, vehicle, fuel and other commodities that support AQIM and
           affiliated groups;
                 24. Emphasizes that sanctions are an important tool under the Charter of the
           United Nations in the maintenance and restoration of international peace and
           security, stresses in this regard the need for robust implementation of the measures
           in paragraph 1 of resolution 1989 (2011) as a significant tool in combating terrorist
           activity and calls on all Member States to submit to the Committee pursuant to
           resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) names of individuals, groups, undertakings
           and entities that are associated with Al-Qaida, including in the Sahel region and
           notably in the North of Mali;

           United Nations support to efforts of mediation
                 25. Requests the Secretary-General to contribute to efforts of regional and
           international actors on Mali, including through the good offices of his Special
           Representative for West Africa, especially by supporting the work of the Support
           and Follow up Group on the Situation in Mali;
                 26. Acknowledges the significant contribution that women can have in
           conflict prevention, peacebuilding and mediation efforts, calls upon all actors in the
           crisis in Mali to take measures to increase the number of women involved in
           mediation efforts and stresses the importance of creating enabling conditions for
           women’s participation and empowerment during all stages of the mediation process;

           Reporting
                 27. Requests the Secretary-General to report, by 31 July 2012, on the
           situation in Mali and the implementation of this resolution, possible steps to ensure
           the effective full restoration of constitutional order and of the territorial integrity in


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               Mali, including the detailed options referred to in paragraph 18 above and prepared
               through the cooperation between the Commission of ECOWAS, the Commission of
               the AU, and countries in the region, with the support of the United Nations, and
               ways of improving international coordination;

               Integrated United Nations strategy for Sahel
                     28. Requests the Secretary-General to develop and implement, in consultation
               with regional organizations, a United Nations integrated strategy for the Sahel region
               encompassing security, governance, development, human rights and humanitarian
               issues, including through the involvement of the United Nations Office for West
               Africa, and requests the Secretary-General to inform the Council on progress made
               by 15 September 2012;
                    29.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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