Honorable chair, distinguished delegates

The delegation of Mali strongly believes that ethnicity itself is not a main cause for a conflict.
We can find proofs that support this statement all along the history of Mali, where more than
15 sub-saharian ethnic groups have peacefully coexisted for ages due to its historical and
cultural similarities.
It is true that the greatest current conflict in Mali is the Tuareg rebellion against Mali's
government. The confrontation between one ethnic group and the others.
However, this delegation firmly claims that ethnic causes are not the strongest ones but
economic and political reasons. Mali's population has extremely impoverished along the last
decades reviving the disagreements among the Tuareg and the Republic of Mali. Moreover,
one of the main claims of the Tuareg is more political participation.
Regarding this, the delegation of Mali is determined to fix relations with the Tuareg by improving
the economic situation of the country and creating a special comittee for the Development of Mali's
Northern Regions, which will help dialogue and negociations that will lead to an increasement on
Tuareg's political influence and a closest relation between all ethnic groups.
This delegation encourages all the delegates to help each other in finding ways of overcoming
ethnic conflicts by improving political and economical conditions of the population, and
seeking a peaceful cohabitation of all cultures inside the same land.

The solution for ethnic conflicts can be reached by means of new kinds of State organisation, like
the creation of Federal States that recognise the differences between the ethnic groups, and the
removal of any source of financiation for terrorist groups.

This delegation considers that governments shouldn't prioritizice military solutions, as Mali has
experienced military confrontations the conflict hasn't dissappeared. This delegation has understood
that improvements between ethnic groups have only come from negociations.

Countries should gather their efforts on improving education, health service, providing water,
housing, estimulating agriculture, trade, taking care of the environment and above all, creating
employment for the youth to prevent them from joining terrorist groups.

The solution must be political, by means of dialogue between ethnic groups, in the social field by
develepment programs and by leading a fight against poverty in all countries, specially in those
parts of the country where there are serious structural economic problems, we must work together
against poverty and against inequality. We must understand any ethnic group is superior and it is our
duty to help them all get along by terms of peace.

The delegation of Mali also stands of for reinforcing the power of the State, State unity as a way of
keeping the ability of driving dialogue and negociations. Mali considers that a strong State is the
key of preserving peace. This does not mean this delegation doesn't recognice that the differences
between ethnic groups must be taking into account when organising the State.

Dialogue between the Tuareg and Mali's government has started and they are being fruitful. The
Tuareg have accepted Mali's government power and they both reject any form of extremism or
terrorism. The Tuareg have refused independence and autodetermination and they are willing to
cooperate for achiving peace in the country.