Washington, DC - Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met today with Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga. Deputy Secretary Sullivan offered his deepest condolences to those affected by the violence in the Mopti region of Mali, most of whom were civilians.

The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to partner with Mali as it confronts terrorist threats in the region, and further, he urged the Malian government to prioritize cooperation as it works with signatory parties to fulfill provisions of the Algiers Accord. Deputy Secretary Sullivan also stressed the importance of demonstrating significant progress on agreed benchmarks of the mandate for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) ahead of the June renewal. Related to these benchmarks, Deputy Secretary Sullivan and Prime Minister Maiga discussed the need for inclusive dialogue in the ongoing constitutional reform process.