Declaration de Rome

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Country/entity: Mali
Azawad
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Declaration de Rome
Date: 6 May 2021
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Tuareg Wars (1962 - )
Mali-Azawad
The nomadic Tuareg in the north of Mali maintained a long-standing revolt against a government traditionally dominated by southern politicians shortly after Mali became independent from France in 1960. The uprisings focused in and around the Azawad region, north of Timbuktu. After several outbreaks of violence during the 1980s, violence peaked with the 1990 outbreak of the Tuareg Rebellion. Following an initial defeat by the Malian Armed Forces, reparations by the government of Alpha Konare included the creation of the self-governing Kidal region. Violence in 1994 died down following peace between moderates on both sides in 1995 and a negotiated peace agreement. Violence continued due to a lack of integration by combatants, but it was not until 2011 that the situation again escalated in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the disintegration of Libya, which resulted in a heavy inflow of small arms, and the increased involvement by Algeria. In January 2012, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) together with several other groups took full control of the region. Disputes on how to handle the situation led to a military coup against President Touré in March 2012 that, in turn, resulted in further turmoil. The MNLA declared the independence of Azawad, but soon lost control of most of the territory to radical Islamist militias including Ansar Dine. A French intervention in January 2013 paved the way for a UN mission, which was established in April of that year. In June 2015 multiple declarations culminated in a final agreement between several Azawad-affiliated groups, including MNLA, and the government of Mali to end hostilities. However, inadequate implementation of the agreement results in continual armed confrontations between pro-government militias, Azawad-affiliated groups, dissidents of Azawad-affiliated groups, ethnically oriented groups, and increasingly since 2017, radical Islamist militias.

Niger-Aïr-Azawad
In 1990 the nomadic Tuareg in northern Niger explicitly sought greater political autonomy following decades of grievances on local political exclusion. With the first armed group Aïr and Azawad Liberation Front (FLAA) to be established in 1991, fighting between 1990 to 1995 took place largely in the Air Mountains. A short-lived truce was agreed in 1994 between the Niger Government and the Tuareg umbrella organisation Coordination of Armed Resistance (CRA), later called Organisation of Armed Resistance (ORA). Another accord was signed in April 1995 in Ouagadougou with various other Tuareg groups and some Toubou, the last signing in 1998. After ten years of relative peace, Movement of Nigeriens for Justice (MNJ) reinvigorated conflicts in 2007 following little follow up by the Nigeriene government on the signed peace agreements.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Mali-Azawad Inter-Azawad peace process
Parties: On behalf of the CAM
Bilal Ag Acherif

On behalf of the Platform
Fahad Ag Almahmoud
Third parties: -
Description: Agreement between CMA and Platforme coordinated by Ara Pacis, established “une coalition politique et sécuritaire” (political and security coalition) to achieve the objectives of CSP

Agreement document: ML_210506_Declaration de Rome .pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): ML_210506_Declaration de Rome.pdf (opens in new tab)| Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: Page 1, para 6. To set common mechanism of tackling all kinds of insecurity into operation with the aim to ensure free movement of persons and their belongings;
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: Page 1, para 2. Appreciating the worsening security situation in Sahel and particularly in Mali, especially in the Mali’s region of North/Azawad,

Page 1, para 11. Have, in order to achieve the objectives of the Permanent Security Coalition, decided to set up a political and security coalition and to arrange a gathering which shall establish permanent bodies of the CSP within a maximum of sixty (60) days.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Choudhury, Lipika Majumdar Roy, Albert Barume, Aurélien Llorca, Fatma Saber (2021). "Annex 13" in Final report of the Panel of Experts on Mali established pursuant to Security Council resolution 2374 (2017)). Available online at:
https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/S_2022_595.pdf Accessed 13.03.2023.

Annex 13:

The ‘Declaration de Rome’ signed by the Presidents of the CMA and the Plateforme in Rome on 6 May 2021

ROME DECLARATION

We, the leaders of the Coordination of Azawad Movements (‘CMA’), of the Platform of Algiers of 14 June 2014 (la Plateforme du 14 juin 2014 d’Alger) and of the public, gathered in Rome on 5 and 6 May 2021;

Appreciating the worsening security situation in Sahel and particularly in Mali, especially in the Mali’s region of North/Azawad,

Taking into account the establishment of the Permanent Strategic Coalition (Cadre Stratégique Permanente (CSP)) between the CMA and the Platform on 6 April 2021 in Bamako,

Taking regard on the objectives of the Permanent Strategic Coalition, which are:

To give a particular framework to the cooperation towards a diligent implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali produced by the Algiers Proceedings;

To set common mechanism of tackling all kinds of insecurity into operation with the aim to ensure free movement of persons and their belongings;

To encourage and lead initiatives supporting social harmony and cohabitation of all communities;

To effectuate an improved coherent approach in taking care of the common aspirations of the population;

Acknowledging the declaration from 16 April 2021 signed by the Chair of the Supreme Council of Imghad and its Allies (CSIA) and by the Chair of the Council of Adagh;

Acknowledging the Vadémécum agreed on 3 May 2021 between the Idaksahak and the Imajaghane;

Have, in order to achieve the objectives of the Permanent Security Coalition, decided to set up a political and security coalition and to arrange a gathering which shall establish permanent bodies of the CSP within a maximum of sixty (60) days.

Express our thanks and deep gratitude to the Italian Government and to the L’ONG ARAPACIS for their initiative and effort exerted towards stabilizing the situation in Sahel and particularly in Mali and for having provided an optimal framework for us to create the structures of the Permanent Strategic Coalition which shall help the stabilization.

Call all our community to support the initiatives of the CSP and urge the Movements supporting peace and social harmony to join the existing effort.

Call the Government of Mali and the international mediation to accompany the Permanent Strategic Coalition on its solemn mission to the benefit of a suffering nation.

In Rome, on 6 May 2021

On behalf of the CAM On behalf of the Platform

[illegible signature] [illegible signature]

Bilal Ag Acherif Fahad Ag Almahmoud