Pacte d’Honneur pour l’Unite du Peuple de Azawad

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Country/entity: Mali
Azawad
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Pacte d’Honneur pour l’Unite du Peuple de Azawad
Date: 30 Nov 2024
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: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Inter-group
Peace process: Mali-Azawad Inter-Azawad peace process
Parties: Signed by:
For the NMLA [ The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad ]
Bilal Ag Acherif

For the HCUA [ The High Council for the Unity of Azawad ]
Alghabass Ag Intalla

For the AMA [ The Arab Movement of Azawad ]
Hanoun Ould Aly

For the SGTIA [ The Self-Defence Group Touareg Imghad and Allies ]
Fahad Ag Almahmoud

For the AMA
Ibrahim Oud Handa

For the SGTIA
Habala Ag Hamzata
Third parties: -
Description: In this short agreement, the signatory armed groups list their shared grievances and agree to merge into the Liberation Front of Azawad (LFA).

Agreement document: ML_241130_Pacte d’Honneur pour l’Unite du Peuple de Azawad_ENG (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): ML_241130_Pacte d’Honneur pour l’Unite du Peuple de Azawad (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: • On the creation of a politico-military entity carrying the aspirations of the people of Azawad to the right of self-determination, called the Liberation Front of Azawad (LFA).
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: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
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: We decide with immediate effect:
• On the dissolution of all the movements united within the CSP-DPA;
 The High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA);
 The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (NMLA);
 The Arab Movement of Azawad (AMA);
 The Self-Defence Group Touareg Imghad and Allies (SGTIA);
• On the creation of a politico-military entity carrying the aspirations of the people of Azawad to the right of self-determination, called the Liberation Front of Azawad (LFA).
The LFA has as its objective the total liberation of Azawad and the establishment of a Government of Azawad.
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: No specific mention.

Gentlemen’s Agreement for the Unity of the People of Azawad

We, the leaders of the movements growing out the CSP-DPA, with the blessing of the religious and traditional leaders, united on an extraordinary congress in the resistant city of Tinzawatene, in the Kidal region on 26 and 30 November 2024, with the purpose of examining the socio-political and security situation in the Sahel in general, in Azawad in particular:

• Considering the disrespect for the commitments contained in the different Agreements signed by the successive central regimes since the integration of Azawad into Mali;

• Considering the civilian massacres, the destruction of the infrastructure, the vital resources and the environment committed by the Russian mercenaries of the Wagner group and the Malian Army under the arrogant leadership of the junta of Bamako, as well as considering the forced exile imposed upon hundreds of thousands of families through all the regimes of Mali;

• Considering the existence of several movements in Azawad and the necessity to join our forces in order to tackle the challenges;

• Considering the Sahelo-Saharan context marked by growing insecurity and instability with all its abject human rights violations against civilians and the basic social infrastructures;

• Considering the cyclical character of the conflict between Azawad and the State of Mali;

• Considering the decisions and recommendations of the congresses organised by our movements with a view to uniting comprehensively the people of Azawad;

• Recognising that a union based on the foundations of justice, order and values of tolerance, cooperation, fraternity, protection of the rights based on the Islam is the only means to reach the noble and historic aspirations of the people of Azawad;

• With the purpose of crowning the efforts made over time on several levels by different fractions of the people of Azawad, and in response to a call issued by the tribal chiefs, imams, opinion leaders, youth, women with regard to unity and social cohesion…

After consultations with a view to substantive and constructive exchanges with the vibrant forces of Azawad;

We decide with immediate effect:

• On the dissolution of all the movements united within the CSP-DPA;

 The High Council for the Unity of Azawad (HCUA);

 The National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (NMLA);

 The Arab Movement of Azawad (AMA);

 The Self-Defence Group Touareg Imghad and Allies (SGTIA);

• On the creation of a politico-military entity carrying the aspirations of the people of Azawad to the right of self-determination, called the Liberation Front of Azawad (LFA).

The LFA has as its objective the total liberation of Azawad and the establishment of a Government of Azawad.

Further, the Congress decides:

• To adopt a flag with colours reflecting our realities;

• On a constitutive Charter that shall be formulated in order to define the objectives and principles of the Government of Azawad

The Congress calls:

On all the sons of Azawad who have differing ideologies to be open towards a union with the purpose of guaranteeing the interior stability and the cohesion between the fractions of Azawad.

To this end, it calls on the Azawadans from both the inside and outside of the country to unite for this historic step, to defend and protect it against all enemies;

The Congress also calls on the subregions, notably the neighbouring countries as well as to the international community, to recognise the LFA as the only and exclusive representation of the people of Azawad.

The signatories of present pact as well as all the other members of the movements agree not to tolerate any act or step with a view to undermining the union backed by the LFA, at the risk of taking necessary measures.

Done in Azawad, on 30 November 2024

Signed by:

For the NMLA For the HCUA For the AMA

Bilal Ag Acherif Alghabass Ag Intalla Hanoun Ould Aly

For the SGTIA For the AMA For the SGTIA

Fahad Ag Almahmoud Ibrahim Oud Handa Habala Ag Hamzata