UNITED NATIONS, March 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for strengthening efforts to address the root causes of instability and insecurity in Mali.
The root causes should be addressed "through humanitarian aid and support for sustainable development, including programs on climate change mitigation and adaptation," Guterres said at Friday's Security Council meeting on Mali held in New York.
"Security in Mali has an impact on the entire Sahel (region), which, in turn, affects global stability," he said.
He called on "all national, regional and international actors" to "step up efforts to tackle the multiple threats facing Mali and the entire Sahel region."
He also called on the Malian government, opposition leaders and "the signatory movements to redouble their efforts to overcome the challenges the country is facing."
At Friday's meeting, Guterres also underscored the deterioration of the security situation in central Mali and highlighted the recent progress toward the implementation of a 2015 deal between the government and some northern armed groups.
Since 2012, northern Mali has faced attacks by Tuareg rebels and al-Qaida-linked extremists.
In 2015, the Malian government and some groups in the north signed the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement. However, attacks by extremists have intensified and moved southward.
As the security situation in central Mali continues to deteriorate, some important steps have been taken in the past few months to accelerate the implementation of the 2015 deal.
Interim administrations have been established in all five northern regions, and the Malian government has launched a comprehensive political and administrative reform process.
