Established in 2013 by the UN Security Council, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) aimed to stabilize the situation in northern Mali, support the political transition, protect civilians, and promote human rights amidst ongoing conflict and instability. The mission’s mandate evolved over its ten-year tenure to address the changing political and security landscape, leading to its withdrawal at the request of the Malian government in 2023.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report, with support from the German Federal Foreign Office and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, organized a workshop to discuss takeaways learned from MINUSMA’s ten-year presence in Mali. Held on June 13, 2024, the workshop brought together UN officials, member states, civil society stakeholders, and independent experts to assess successes and challenges related to the mandate, with the objective to draw lessons from MINUSMA’s experience that could ensure more realistic, effective, and achievable mandates in future UN peace operations.

Key takeaways from the discussion include recognition of MINUSMA’s crucial role in supporting the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, protecting civilians, and stabilizing urban centers. However, the mission faced significant challenges, particularly due to the lack of a stable peace to maintain and the volatile political environment following two coups. Despite its efforts to adapt, MINUSMA struggled with host-state consent, resource constraints, and the complexities of an asymmetric threat environment. The lessons learned from MINUSMA point to the importance of political consensus, multistakeholder partnerships, and realistic alignment between mandates and resources for the success of future peacekeeping missions.