Mali: Lamamra emphasizes need for reintegrating fighters under Algiers Agreement

 
ORAN (Algeria)- The minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Ramtane Lamamra, said Thursday in Oran that the reintegration of fighters in Mali, under Agreement of Algiers, is a challenge to give everybody the possibility to believe in a new life instead of fighting among brothers.
During a session themed "African responses to emerging threats to peace and security in Africa," held on the second day of the ninth High-Level Conference on Peace and Security in Africa, the minister said the reintegration of the 26,000 Malian fighters members of the signatory movements of the Agreement of Algiers, addressed in two phases (disarmament, armament and reintegration), "is a challenge to give everybody the possibility to believe in a new life instead of fighting among brothers. It is a long-term work and the path is full of pitfalls."
Lamamra added that "things do not move on a regular basis. There are advances and setbacks. It is the path that we should take and there is no other alternative."
The minister, however, noted that "we cannot strengthen national unity if we fail to achieve the unity of the national army (in Mali), and this is essential."
In a fragile country, arms must only be in the hands of the armed forces of the Republic, and all measures must be taken for a consensual formation of the armed forces, be it in the lower or the higher levels of military command hierarchy."
Lamamra welcomed the valuable cooperation between the African Union, the United Nations and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mal (MINUSMA).