France and the United Nations Detail Security Cooperation in Mali

Two weeks before the first round of Mali's presidential election takes place, the United Nations and France signed an agreement July 13 that outlines the separate responsibilities of the U.N. peacekeepers and French troops already operating in the country, as well as the nature of their cooperation. While U.N. forces now bear the primary responsibility for securing northern Mali, the agreement shows that France's role is still quite significant. French troops will be called upon to intervene anytime and anywhere U.N. troops are unable to directly deal with a threat, as opposed to the original plan that would have had French forces in a logistical support role.