Algerian FM to visit Bamako to bolster peace in nothern Mali

As the first anniversary of the final signing of the Mali Peace and Reconciliation Agreement approaches, the Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, is expected to begin a two day official visit starting Monday, to the Malian capital, Bamako.

The Algerian brokered deal signed by an alliance of Tuareg led rebels and the Malian government on June 20 last year, is aimed at bringing stability in the country’s vast nothern desert which historically has had several Tuareg uprisings and continues to face the threat of Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda.

The Algerian diplomat is expected to chair a bilateral strategic forum, which will create an opportunity for the two countries to assess the progress of the peace accord and identify ways to further boost peace in the nothern part of the west African country.

Algerian diplomat to meet Mali for peace talk https://t.co/Lq3B0vMwMW pic.twitter.com/b0zyVFoZUU

— VOICE OF NIGERIA (@voiceofnigeria) June 19, 2016

In May, Lamamra had raised concern over the delays in the full implementation of the peace accord and said that more efforts should be put in to speed up the process.

This after the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA), the alliance of Tuareg led rebels, suspended its participation in a sub -committee intended to implement the peace deal, citing lack of commitment from the Malian government.

Agency