Mali's post elections challenges

This briefing discusses the challenges facing Mali following the August 2013 presidential election of Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. It outlines the need for security reforms in the north, the implementation of the Preliminary Ouagadougou Agreement, the organization of parliamentary elections, and the execution of a sustainable economic recovery plan supported by international donors.

• The August 2013 presidential elections were considered successful, with Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta of the Rally for Mali (RPM) winning the second round with 77.62% of the vote. Participation rates were 48.98% in the first round and 44.41% in the second round, exceeding initial predictions.
• A critical priority for the new administration is the implementation of the Preliminary Agreement for the presidential election and inclusive peace talks, signed on 18 June in Ouagadougou. This agreement aims to facilitate an inclusive dialogue to reach a final and comprehensive peace agreement, with the Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission playing a central role.
• President Keïta must address security issues in northern Mali, specifically regarding Arab and Songhai militias and Tuareg armed groups. The proposed inclusive dialogue will cover the administrative and institutional organization of northern regions, the reorganisation of defence and security forces, and a socio-economic disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme.
• The government faces a divided political class regarding the timing of parliamentary elections, which were scheduled for 27 October 2013. Supporters of the United Front for the Protection of Democracy and the Republic (FDR) advocate for immediate elections, while those aligned with Keïta suggest using the pre-election period to address issues regarding refugees, internally displaced people, and new 18-year-old voters.
• Economic recovery is a major challenge, with the Malian economy severely impacted by institutional and security crises. A donor conference in Brussels on 15 May 2013 raised €3.25 billion for a '2013–2014 plan for the sustainable recovery of Mali', the success of which depends on good governance and the development of economic activities in peripheral regions.
• The transition period's security goals were partially met through the military efforts of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) and France's Operation Serval.

APA

Theroux-Benoni, L.-A., & Dakono, B. (2013). Mali's post elections challenges. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/malis-post-elections-challenges

Chicago

Theroux-Benoni, Lori-Anne, and Baba Dakono. Mali's post elections challenges. Institute for Security Studies, 2013. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/malis-post-elections-challenges.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Theroux-Benoni |first1=Lori-Anne |last2=Dakono |first2=Baba |title=Mali's post elections challenges |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=4 September 2013 |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/malis-post-elections-challenges |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{therouxbenoni2013malis, author = {Theroux-Benoni, Lori-Anne and Dakono, Baba}, title = {{Mali's post elections challenges}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2013}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/malis-post-elections-challenges}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }