The Committee of Ambassadors of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group),

HAVING HEARD the statement made at the 873rd meeting of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors on 27 May 2014 by the Honourable Mahamadou Camara, Malian Minister of the Digital Economy, Communication and Information, on the security situation in the north of Mali following the events of 17 and 21 May 2014;

HAVING REGARD TO the previous statements from the ACP Group on the political and security situation in Mali;

HAVING REGARD TO the United Nations Security Council resolutions on the situation in Mali, in particular resolutions 2056 (2012), 2071 (2012), 2085 (2012) and 2100 (2013);

CONSIDERING the Preliminary Agreement to Presidential Elections and Inclusive Peace Talks in Mali, concluded in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) on 18 June 2013 between the Government of National Unity of the Republic of Mali on one side, and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and the High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA) on the other;

SERIOUSLY CONCERNED at the sudden deterioration of the security situation in the north of Mali following the deadly clashes that recently occurred in Kidal between the Malian armed forces and the armed groups in that town, which seriously affected the dialogue and reconciliation process;

CONDEMNS, in the strongest terms, the acts of aggression that punctuated the Malian Prime Minister's visit to Kidal, resulting in the death of several soldiers of the Malian armed forces sent there, the abduction and illegal detention of about 30 civilians, as well as the assassination of several Malian State representatives by elements of the MNLA rebel group and their allies; REQUESTS that the perpetrators of such crimes be identified, arrested and prosecuted in the competent courts;

PAYS TRIBUTE to the memory of the victims of these clashes which occurred between the Malian armed forces and the MNLA supported by jihadist and narco-terrorist groups;



WELCOMES the cease-fire agreement obtained, thanks to the mediation efforts of H.E. Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and incumbent President of the African Union;

EXPRESSES its solidarity and its support for the Government of Mali in its efforts to conclude the inclusive dialogue process that should lead to sustainable peace in that country and REAFFIRMS its commitment to national unity, territorial integrity, the secular nature of the country and sovereignty of the Government of Mali throughout the entire territory;

INVITES all the parties to the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement to honour their commitments and speed up its implementation;

REITERATES its gratitude to the entire international community for its tireless support to Mali since January 2012 and URGES the United Nations Security Council to consider strengthening the role of MINUSMA with a view to renewing its mandate.

Brussels, 28 May 2014