UN Spokesperson, Mr Stephane Dujarric, said greater funding would be needed for Malians following the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission from the country on Dec. 31, 2023.

Dujarric told journalists on Thursday in New York that although UN agencies were able to reach more than 1.8 million people in Mali in 2023, more funding and commitment to long-term development was needed in 2024.

He stressed that the UN and partners were “committed to staying and delivering principled assistance and protection services” despite the gap left by the end of the peacekeeping mission at the request of Mali’s military authorities.

He said the UN would continue working with national authorities, Malian organisations and local communities, “but to keep the response going, agencies urgently need support for critical enabling services such as logistics, mine action and security.

“In some locations, these services were of course being provided previously in part by the UN peacekeeping mission.”

He noted that nearly two million Malians had received assistance last year despite the already “escalating insecurity” in parts of the country, much of which is plagued by armed extremists following more than a decade of unrest and political upheaval.

According to him, agencies also need full funding for this year’s humanitarian response.

Dujarric said the full response plan would be launched at the end of this month and was expected to require 700 million dollars through 2024 – a 10 per cent decrease from 2023.

This, he said, reflected a more prioritised focus on the country’s most severe needs.

“While humanitarian aid remains essential, more will be needed to address future challenges, including development assistance and social cohesion programmes,” he said.