Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese historian, diplomat and politician. He has served in several conflict resolution processes in Africa to include Mali, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Madagascar. He served as Deputy Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for the UN mission in Mali from 2013 to 2014, and served as SRSG for Central Africa from 2014 to 2016. He is the author of numerous publications and currently serves as Visiting Professor at Kings College London.Awah Leonide Azah is an alumnus of the African Leadership Centre Kings College London, where she completed a Master’s in Security, Leadership and Society. She currently works at CODESRIA as Program Manager in charge of Training Grants and fellowships.

• Chapter One: The problematic of peacekeeping1.1 The neo-liberal world disorder 1.2 Mali in the shadows of this Global orderChapter Two: Background of the conflict in Mali2.1 The Northern Question in Mali, Legacies from pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods2.2 The Libyan crisis and the Fall of ATT 2.3 The assault of the terrorist coalition and the transition Chapter Three: MINUSMA to the rescue3.1 Background of the mission, contrasting views of the AU and UN Security Council 3.2 The mandate3.3 The question of leadership of the mission 3.4 My emergence as depute SRSGChapter Four: Bathily as Deputy Secretary General 4.1 My reading of the situation in Mali4.2My vision versus the reality on the ground4.3 Actors hovering in the wingsChapter Five: Leadership Challenges5.1 Tensions between mandate and the situation on the ground5.2 The contradictions within the international community 5.3 Uneasy relationship between the mission and key local actors 5.4 Unexpected outcomes, replication of cycle of violenceChapter six: Reflections in hindsight6. 1 A journey to Nowhere: My dilemma6.2 Resignation as the final option6.3 Could it have been done differently?Index

Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese historian, diplomat and politician. He has served in several conflict resolution processes in Africa to include Mali, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Madagascar. He served as Deputy Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for the UN mission in Mali from 2013 to 2014, and served as SRSG for Central Africa from 2014 to 2016. He is the author of numerous publications and currently serves as Visiting Professor at Kings College London.Awah Leonide Azah is an alumnus of the African Leadership Centre Kings College London, where she completed a Master’s in Security, Leadership and Society. She currently works at CODESRIA as Program Manager in charge of Training Grants and fellowships.

• Chapter One: The problematic of peacekeeping1.1 The neo-liberal world disorder 1.2 Mali in the shadows of this Global orderChapter Two: Background of the conflict in Mali2.1 The Northern Question in Mali, Legacies from pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods2.2 The Libyan crisis and the Fall of ATT 2.3 The assault of the terrorist coalition and the transition Chapter Three: MINUSMA to the rescue3.1 Background of the mission, contrasting views of the AU and UN Security Council 3.2 The mandate3.3 The question of leadership of the mission 3.4 My emergence as depute SRSGChapter Four: Bathily as Deputy Secretary General 4.1 My reading of the situation in Mali4.2My vision versus the reality on the ground4.3 Actors hovering in the wingsChapter Five: Leadership Challenges5.1 Tensions between mandate and the situation on the ground5.2 The contradictions within the international community 5.3 Uneasy relationship between the mission and key local actors 5.4 Unexpected outcomes, replication of cycle of violenceChapter six: Reflections in hindsight6. 1 A journey to Nowhere: My dilemma6.2 Resignation as the final option6.3 Could it have been done differently?Index

Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese historian, diplomat and politician. He has served in several conflict resolution processes in Africa to include Mali, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Madagascar. He served as Deputy Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for the UN mission in Mali from 2013 to 2014, and served as SRSG for Central Africa from 2014 to 2016. He is the author of numerous publications and currently serves as Visiting Professor at Kings College London.Awah Leonide Azah is an alumnus of the African Leadership Centre Kings College London, where she completed a Master’s in Security, Leadership and Society. She currently works at CODESRIA as Program Manager in charge of Training Grants and fellowships.

• Chapter One: The problematic of peacekeeping1.1 The neo-liberal world disorder 1.2 Mali in the shadows of this Global orderChapter Two: Background of the conflict in Mali2.1 The Northern Question in Mali, Legacies from pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods2.2 The Libyan crisis and the Fall of ATT 2.3 The assault of the terrorist coalition and the transition Chapter Three: MINUSMA to the rescue3.1 Background of the mission, contrasting views of the AU and UN Security Council 3.2 The mandate3.3 The question of leadership of the mission 3.4 My emergence as depute SRSGChapter Four: Bathily as Deputy Secretary General 4.1 My reading of the situation in Mali4.2My vision versus the reality on the ground4.3 Actors hovering in the wingsChapter Five: Leadership Challenges5.1 Tensions between mandate and the situation on the ground5.2 The contradictions within the international community 5.3 Uneasy relationship between the mission and key local actors 5.4 Unexpected outcomes, replication of cycle of violenceChapter six: Reflections in hindsight6. 1 A journey to Nowhere: My dilemma6.2 Resignation as the final option6.3 Could it have been done differently?Index