OFFICIAL LETTER TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
To His Excellency The Secretary General of the United Nations, New York.
Subject: Urgent call for recognition of the right to self-determination of the people of Azawad.
Excellency,
We have the honor to address you on behalf of the people of Azawad, a millennial people who have passed through history, from the time of great ancient civilizations to modern times, and who continue to struggle today for their survival, culture and freedom.
Azawad, located at the crossroads of North Africa and the Sahel, is the custodian of a historical and cultural heritage attested by traditional narratives, ancient writings and archaeological remains. Yet, despite this rich heritage, our people remain victims of a process of decolonization unfinished since 1960, and continue to suffer marginalization, violence and attempts to erase identity.
Excellency,
The right of our people to self-determination and freedom is not a new claim: it is based on universal and African legal instruments, including:
- The Charter of the United Nations (1945) – article 1, paragraph 2, affirming the right of peoples at the disposal of themselves.
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) – article 21, which states that “the will of the people is the foundation of the authority of public authorities.”
- UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) (1960) on granting independence to colonial countries and peoples, which states that “all peoples have the right to self-determination” and that “subjugation of peoples constitutes a denial of fundamental rights”.
- Resolution 2625 (1970) on the principles of international law concerning friendly relations, which once again recognizes the right to self-determination of peoples.
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) – common article 1: “All peoples have the right to dispose of themselves.”
- The African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981) – articles 19, 20 and 21 recognizing the right of peoples to existence, self-determination, free disposition of their wealth and natural resources.
- The Constituent Act of the African Union (2000) – article 4 (b) and (m), which devotes the right of peoples to equality, participation, justice and self-determination.
In the light of these instruments, it is clear that the people of Azawad have a legitimate and prescriptive right to self-determination.
But, since Mali’s independence in 1960, Azawad has been delivered to hostile regimes that have established a policy of exclusion and repression, turning our territory into a permanent warfield.
These systematic violations – sometimes perpetrated with the support of foreign powers – constitute a blatant violation of the founding principles of the United Nations and the African Union.
Excellency,
Therefore, we solemnly call upon you, in the name of justice and universal principles, to:
- Recognize the situation in Azawad as a matter of unfinished decolonization within the jurisdiction of UN.
- Setting up a special UN mission to protect civilian population and review the human rights situation in Azawad.
- Initiate an international process allowing the people of Azawad to freely exercise their right to self-determination in its historical borders before French colonization (1893).
Excellency,
We place our confidence in your high authority and the founding values of the UN and the African Union. The people of Azawad demand only justice, freedom and dignity, as all peoples freed from colonial domination.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the expression of our highest regard.
Abdul Karim Ag Matafa
In charge of administration and offices.
Executive office of Azawad Liberation Front.
Tinzawatene on September 19, 2025.