UK to hastily gift Camp Bagnold in war-torn Mali to UN for $1

Ben Wallace MP has requested the Ministry of Defence sells its former peacekeeping base in war-torn Mali for one US dollar.

In a written ministerial statement, the Defence Secretary said the deal to sell Camp Bagnold in West Africa to the United Nations (UN) must be signed before 31 July.

The infrastructure is estimated to be worth £4,226,970 and is to be handed over to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

• Mali: British Army Reconnaissance Group Completes Deterrence Operation
• UK to withdraw peacekeeping troops from Mali
• What are British forces doing in Mali?

The Secretary of State's written statement says that "on the 16 June 2023 the TGoM (Transitional Government of Mali) asked MINUSMA to leave Mali 'without delay'. Despite this, we still intend to gift the Camp to the UN MINUSMA".

"Given the fast-moving situation on the ground we request special urgency to lay a Departmental Minute in Parliament for four sitting days before recess," the statement added.

The statement went on to say, "the gifting transfers all ownership rights of the camp to the UN, including any future responsibility for the remediation and disposal of the site."

This comes after the UK Government confirmed in November 2022 that it would withdraw its peacekeeping troops from the country, citing concerns over the Malian government's links to Russian mercenary organisation, the Wagner Group.

MINUSMA is a UN-led, non-combat mission, for which the UK contribution was the Long Range Reconnaissance Group.