By Mamadou Dian Barry
The UN peacekeeping force in Mali, Minusma, has completed its forced withdrawal from the country, while its counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Monusco, has begun a premature departure at the request of Kinshasa.
The year 2023 looks like a disavowal of the UN peacekeepers' involvement in the continent, where their presence has sparked public anger and demonstrations that often resulted in civilian deaths.
The blue helmets seem no longer welcome in Africa.
Minusma leaves Mali
Minusma's 11,600 soldiers and 1,500 police officers left Bamako on December 11 to end their decade-long presence in Mali where it had been deployed to fight insurgents. The hasty withdrawal came at Bamako's request.
Last June, against all expectations, Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop appeared before the UN Security Council and demanded that Minusma leave Mali, giving it until the end of December 2023 to comply.
Galvanised by support from the civil society, Bamako has remained steadfast in the decision despite protests by Western countries, including the US, which denounced the decision.
Similarly, Monusco, one of the largest and most expensive UN operations in the world, started its gradual withdrawal from DR Congo on December 19 as demanded by the Congolese government. The pull-out came despite security concerns in the eastern region as the country headed to a crucial general elections.
Kinshasa wants an 'accelerated withdrawal'
The UN Security Council underlined its "concern about the escalation of violence" in the east in the absence of the peacekeepers. But Kinshasa considers the UN force as ineffective in protecting civilians from armed groups that have operated in the region for three decades.
The authorities declared that the collaboration "has shown its limits, in a context of permanent war, without the long-awaited peace being re-established in eastern Congo."
Several UN Security Council members, notably the US, have expressed doubts in recent months as to whether Congolese forces were ready to replace Monusco to ensure the security of the population.
"The members of this Council will be keeping a close eye on things, at a time when the DRC government wants to assume full responsibility for protecting civilians with the withdrawal of Monusco," US deputy ambassador Robert Wood stressed.
UN missions cannot operate without authorisation of the host country.
The catalyst
This domino effect was sparked by the departure of the French Barkhane force from Mali in 2022 following demands by the military junta there.
The French troops had been on Malian soil for nine years where they were meant to deal with insurgents. But their mission was perceived to be ambiguous - seen to be acting both as an ally of Malian armed forces and a protector of armed groups.
Claims of involvement with the Tuareg separatists group MNLA also saw their credibility eroded.
Weeks later, French special forces stationed in neighbouring Burkina Faso also started exiting. Public demonstrations against their presence came in the wake of Captain Traoré coming to power in a coup.
The French special forces relocated to the Barkhane bases in Niger, but their stay there was short-lived because in June 2023, the presidential guard led by General Abdourahmane Tiani toppled the government of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Gen Tiani set up a transitional government made up of military personnel and civilians and proceeded to denounce defence agreements signed between Paris and Niamey.
He demanded that French forces leave Niger. The French forces have since completed their withdrawal from the country.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, all under military rule, have put an end to most of their strategic agreements, particularly in the defence sector, with the former colonial power, deeming them unfavourable to their national interests.
Now united in an alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), they have also slammed the door on the G5 Sahel - a grouping that brought together Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
The bloc was set up under the aegis of France to combat terrorism in the Sahel region.
African countries from where the troops are withdrawing are now turning to new foreign partners, which they believe are more likely to help them in meeting their aspirations for greater security and sovereignty.
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