On 31 January, Malian civil society members and their partners SIPRI and CONASCIPAL (National Coalition of Civil Society for Peace and the Fight Against the Proliferation of Light Weapons) presented the first Civil Society White Book for Peace and Security to help address security challenges for the Malian population.
The White Book launch event brought together over 90 representatives from Malian policy, civil society, academia and media.
The launch was opened by Luc van de Goor, Director of Studies for Conflict and Peace at SIPRI, Dr Bréma Ely Dicko, Scientific Coordinator for the White Book, and Mohamed Dravé, Vice-President of CONASCIPAL, followed by a discussion of the findings of report. Dr Mariam D. Maïga, Executive Director of CONASCIPAL, gave a presentation on the role of civil society.
The SIPRI and CONASCIPAL delegations also visited Colonel Salif Traoré, Minister of Security and Civilian Protection, and Mrs Oumou Touré Traoré, Minister for the Promotion of Women, Children and Family, to personally hand over the White Book in a photo ceremony. Additionally, personal copies were delivered to the Ministry of National Reconciliation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Read the press release in English and in French. Download the White Book and see media coverage of the launch.
See some of Colonel Salif Traoré’s reflections on the current security situation in Mali.
About the White Book
The White Book of the Civil Society for Peace and Security in Mali is an advocacy tool with the objective to make the voices of the Malian people heard in the elaboration of security measures. Based on research conducted by SIPRI and CONASCIPAL, this book presents an inclusive and in-depth analysis of the reality of the security challenges that people face in their daily lives.
About the White Book Committee
The White Book Committee consists of a broad range of key actors in Mali, with representatives from five major national civil society organizations, five main research centres on peace and security, three former Malian prime ministers, and the media. This broad-ranging membership ensures that it is inclusive and representative of the variety of views within Malian civil society.
The organizations are: (a) national civil society: the National Council of Civil Society of Mali (CNSC Mali), the Forum of Mali's civil society organizations (FOSC Mali), the Convergence des Femmes du Mali, the Conseil National Youth Foundation of Mali (CNJ Mali), and the Coalition of African Alternatives to Debt and Development (CAD Mali); (b) main research centres: Malian Alliance for Rebuilding Governance in Africa (ARGA - Mali), West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP Mali), Mali Research-Action Institute for (IMRAP), Center for Local Knowledge Research (POINT SUD), and Center for Analysis and Research of the Sahelo-Saharan Space (CARESS); (c) three former prime ministers: HE Ms Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé, HE Mr Ousmane Issoufi Maïga and HE Mr Ahmed Mohamed ag Hamani; and (d) the media: the house of the press.
About the project
The project, 'Building a Lasting Peace in Mali: Contributions of Civil Society to Security Policies for the Population' (Construire une paix durable au Mali: contributions de la société civile aux politiques de sécurité des populations), collaborates with local stakeholders and civil society organizations in 36 Malian municipalities from the 10 regions and the District of Bamako to monitor and document the security situation, its perceived causes and suggestions for policy action.
The project is financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
For media requests please contact SIPRI Communications Director Stephanie Blenckner (blenckner@sipri.org, +46 708 655 360).