Jerome Mellon

▶️The situation remains highly volatile, making any predictions futile, but speculation is running wild about scenarios such as the fall of #Bamako, a negotiated settlement between the jihadists and the military regime, and a military surge allowing the Malian authorities to break the blockade.

▶️It also highlights the growing strength of #JNIM, which has managed to open a new western front, impose economic blockades, and exert significant pressure on the Malian authorities.

EGMONT - Royal Institute for International Relations | LinkedIn EGMONT - Royal Institute for International Relations | 20,343 followers on LinkedIn. The Egmont Institute is a Public Utility Foundation | EGMONT – The Royal Institute for International Relations is a...

▶️The current crisis in #Mali underscores the failure of the military regime to deliver on its promises, contain the violence, and ultimately defeat the #jihadist groups. @egmontinstitute.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/company/egmo...

▶️Sans réponse coordonnée et durable, cette dynamique risque de provoquer un désinvestissement massif, une contraction économique régionale et une instabilité accrue, avec des répercussions durables sur la stabilité du #Sahel et au-delà.

▶️Le JNIM exploite habilement les griefs locaux en qualifiant les investisseurs étrangers de « colonisateurs économiques », accusant leurs projets d’exploiter les ressources sans bénéfice pour les populations.

RAPPORT - Offensive du JNIM : Entre « Jihad » économique et menace des intérêts étrangers Télécharger le rapport intégral Les récents enlèvements d’étrangers et l’importante rançon de 50 à 70 millions de dollars qui aurait été payée au JNIM pour libérer deux émiratis et un iranien ont ravi...

▶️Les attaques du #JNIM visent, désormais, directement les infrastructures économiques, les sites miniers et les convois logistiques du #Mali, avec pour objectif stratégique d'asphyxier les économies locales et de délégitimer le régime en place. timbuktu-institute.org/index.php/co...

▶️Access to fuel is becoming the focal point of the conflict. To defeat JNIM, the junta needs large-scale ground operations and air support; yet both depend on a steady supply of fuel.

▶️#JNIM has said it wants to emulate the #Taliban, who entered Kabul after the military they had been fighting for two decades effectively vacated the capital.

Al Qaeda Is on the Brink of Taking Over a Country If the jihadists succeed in taking Mali, it would become the first country run by the group. The U.S. has warned its citizens to leave the West African nation immediately.

▶️#AlQaeda militants are moving closer to seizing the capital of the #WestAfrica nation of #Mali. They appear to be getting close, though they will likely wait some time before making any decisive move. @wsj.com www.wsj.com/world/africa...

▶️JNIM has likely opportunistically diverged from its original objectives due to its success in sustaining the blockade, leading to a #FuelCrisis that has degraded relations between the junta, citizens, and the fuel sector.

▶️JNIM is seeking to negotiate with the junta as an equal, moving it toward de jure legitimization.

JNIM Imposes Shari’a via Blockade; Burundi Hedges in the Eastern DRC: Africa File, October 23, 2025

▶️A #JNIM spokesperson announced on October 17 that its blockade on the southern half of #Mali would continue until the junta fell or agreed to apply shari'a law nationwide. @criticalthreats.bsky.social www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/mal...

Heightened vulnerability to cross-border attacks from militant Islamist groups risks destabilizing local communities and governments in these countries. #WestAfrica

▶️The ability of the Maçina Liberation Front – the most active member of the JNIM coalition – to project its influence throughout southern Mali also poses increased threats to Mali’s coastal neighbors.

▶️The JNIM coalition now exerts much more influence and control over territory in Mali than at any other previous time during the 13-year insurgency.

JNIM Attacks in Western Mali Reshape Sahel Conflict – Africa Center Recent JNIM attacks in western Mali are targeting the economic, security, and political vulnerabilities of the military junta in Bamako.

▶️By attacking transportation arteries, fuel tankers, and population centers in western #Mali, the #JNIM coalition is targeting the economic, security, and political vulnerabilities of the military junta in #Bamako. africacenter.org/spotlight/jn...

... and on @UNPOL police and @unmas.bsky.social mine action, I participated in its final strategic review (2022), downsizing and closure (2023), and today spent the day reflecting on lessons learned from 10 years of @UNPeacekeeping in Mali to inform the future of UN peace operations. 🇺🇳

🔄 Coming full circle: after having worked on planning the @UN peacekeeping mission in #Mali @UN_MINUSMA (2012-2013), then accompanying its deployment, growth and operations (2013-2018), with a focus on strengthening the #RuleOfLaw and security and justice institutions...

📢At Mission of @GermanyUN, inspiring high-level event with voices from the field about the future of @UN work on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration #DDR, going beyond men with guns to also focus on women, communities, #peacebuilding, #prevention. #DDRsymposium

🎙Recently briefed @UN Member States on how the rule of law approach of @orolsi.bsky.social makes #CounterTerrorism and the prevention of #ViolentExtremism effective in the field. Also thanked outgoing @UN_OCT USG #Voronkov for his steadfast work and inspiring leadership. #CT #PCVE

The Recent Evolution of UN Work on Peace and Security ? By Ahmed Ouhnini and Jérôme Mellon, Head of Policy and Operational Support - United Nations. In this episode, we explore how the United Nations works beyond traditional peacekeeping contexts to supp

🎙️In my (first!) podcast interview, I discuss with @policycenterns.bsky.social how @UN now supports #peace & #security beyond #peacekeeping contexts, including to strengthen #RuleOfLaw, #justice and #security through @orolsi.bsky.social work in Sub-Saharan #Africa. soundcloud.com/policycenter...

Em #SaoTomeEPrincipe 🇸🇹, o Primeiro-Ministro, interlocutores dos setores da #justiça e #segurança, com @ONU_STP, reconheceram o impacto e a necessidade do suporte contínuo da @orolsi.bsky.social para o desenvolvimento institucional. Reiteramos nosso compromisso de continuar engajados.

In #SaoTomeAndPrincipe 🇸🇹, the Prime Minister, key interlocutors of the #justice & #security sector and @ONU_STP confirmed the significant impact and continuing needs of @orolsi.bsky.social institutional development advisory #IDA support. We committed to remaining fully engaged.

🇵🇹Productive discussions with ministries of Foreign Affairs @NEstrangeiro_pt & @Defesa_pt and with #AtlanticCentre & @InstCamoes in #Lisbon about work of @orolsi.bsky.social Institutional Development Advisers #IDA, including in lusophone countries, as we aim to work closer with #Portugal.

In #SierraLeone 🇸🇱, I participated in a weeklong @orolsi.bsky.social mission to discuss with Government, civil society and @UNSierraLeone how our Institutional Development Advisory #IDA programme could contribute to #peace, #justice and #security in the country.

O Presidente de #SaoTomeEPrincipe discursou na Comissão de Consolidação da Paz e se reuniu com o @undppa.bsky.social PBSO e o @orolsi.bsky.social, destacando a implementacao de sua estratégia de #PrevencaoDeConflitos e o progresso continuo na #ReformaDoSetorDeSegurança e #justica. #PBC @RepSaoTome

The President of #SaoTomeAndPrincipe addressed the @unpeacebuilding.bsky.social Commission and met @undppa.bsky.social PBSO and @orolsi.bsky.social, highlighting the adoption of its #ConflictPrevention strategy and steady progress on #justice and #SecuritySectorReform. #PBC @RepSaoTome

👉Analysts have warned that the junta’s strategy of military escalation, including the mass recruitment of civilians into poorly trained militias, has worsened inter-ethnic tensions. (3/3) @apnews.com @nbcnews.com

👉The latest attack shows JNIM’s escalating power and widening reach in Burkina Faso. The fact that Djibo was targeted confirms the extent of JNIM’s freedom of movement within Burkina Faso. (2/3)

More than 100 killed in jihadi attack in northern Burkina Faso A jihadi group aligned with Al-Qaida known as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, which is active in the Sahel region, claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack.

👉An attack by #JNIM in northern #BurkinaFaso killed more than 100 people, mostly soldiers. The attack on several locations, including a military base and the long besieged strategic town of Djibo, occurred early Sunday. (1/3) www.nbcnews.com/world/africa...