It’s time for a reality check in Mali

A fundamental change of course is needed for Mali’s 2015 peace agreement to remain viable.

In June 2015, warring parties in Mali signed a peace agreement meant to bring stability to the beleaguered nation. Yet in May, the country experienced its second coup in nine months. Weeks earlier, a former rebel leader who had been part of the peace process was assassinated. Violent groups, including those linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS), frequently unleash attacks in north, central, and eastern Mali, and their presence is spreading into the country’s south and across borders. Meanwhile, France has announced the drawdown of Operation Barkhane, its anti-terror effort in Mali and the Sahel. As the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote later this month on whether to extend the UN peacekeeping mission there, it is time for a reality check about the effectiveness of current international support for the country’s peace process.