"The absolute priority must be the organisation of the presidential election on February 27, 2022," said French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, adding that those behind the coup should play no part. Serval was succeeded in 2014 by the broader Barkhane mission, which has some 5,100 soldiers deployed across the Sahel. Several Security Council members backed a one-year extension of Minusma, the UN stabilisation mission in Mali whose mandate expires on June 30, without any change to current personnel levels. Russia said it was "irresponsible" following the announcement of the Barkhane drawdown and the end of joint military operations between the two nations to abandon Mali to its fate. "The stakes are too high for the security of Mali and its entire region," said deputy Russian ambassador to the UN Anna Evstigneeva.

Source: Daily Nation June 15, 2021 08:48 UTC