UNDPKO 2017-2023 UN Trust Fund in support of Peace and Security in Mali

Sweden contributed to the United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Peace and Security in Mali jointly with other donors, including the UK, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada and Austria. The Swedish contribution was aimed to specifically support "reconciliation mechanisms at national and local level and increased women participation". The funds were not co-mingled with other donor contributions, but used for separate projects to which the Embassy gave no-objective before approval. The agreement on a contribution of 35 MSEK to the Trust fund was signed in November 2017. Activities started slowly. Only one project was approved for Swedish funding until the issuing of the first report, July 2018. The report refers to a change to the MINUSMA mandate following a strategic review of the mission, and a new Security Council Resolution in June 2018, as reasons for "realignment" of the fund and the slow process of approving new projects. The implementation continued to be delayed, and at two occasions no-cost extensions were approved, for 2021 and for 2022 with a final end date of 31 Dec 2022. The final report was drafted in November 2023, at a point in time the MINUSMA was withdrawing from Mali (withdrawal to be concluded 31 Dec 2023), following a request from the Malian government and a subsequent UNSC resolution in June 2023. The final report provides information on the fifteen projects that Swedish funds (35 MSEK) were used for (out of a total of 287 projects to a total cost of 127 MUSD). See statement on report for a summary of all fifteen projects. In terms of the overall results of the fund, the UN reports that it constituted "an important instrument for the peace process in Mali as it provides essential support in the fields of mediation, reconciliation, SSR / DDR, security, restoration of state authority, human rights, and the rule of law. Furthermore, it responds to the urgent needs of the populations of northern Mali in terms of basic social services in the areas of major infrastructure, water and sanitation, energy, and economic recovery." The fifteen projects reported on, reflects a variety of interventions - infra-structure, training, capacity-building of both public institutions and officials, citizens and organisations, and "emergency mediation". The geographical distribution of support is in line with what was planned - the North, the Centre as well as country-wide interventions. Examples of results reported: - for the 2020 elections, Swedish funds were used for training of election commission (CENI) agents, local leaders and interim authorities. In addition, an electoral guide was printed and made available to 25,000 voting offices. - implementation and ownership of the Peace Process was strengthened through the distribution of the Charter for Peace, Unity and National Reconciliation, the promotion of the Independent Observers report, and the holding of technical exchanges between MINUSMA and parliamentarians Other efforts reported includes social cohesion, community mediation and deradicalization in the Mopti region, and strengthening of communal and village land commissions to manage land disputes. Results from these initiatives are not coming out clearly from the report. Investments were also done in the transitional justice initiatives - by supporting the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

The objectives of the intervention are aligned with the objectives under the area of support Human Security, in the development cooperation strategy for Mali, namely: - Strengthened peace and reconciliation mechanisms at national and local level - Greater influence and women’s participation in peace processes and in peacebuilding and statebuilding.