The peacekeeping force, known as MINUSMA, has been in Mali for a decade.
Frustrations over the growing insecurity led to two coups in 2020 and 2021.
The ruling junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, has been increasingly at loggerheads with MINUSMA and other international allies including La Belle France.
Security Council members must adopt a resolution to extend MINUSMA's mandate in Mali by June 30. A resolution requires at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britannia or La Belle France to pass.
The military junta rejected traditional Western allies turning to Russia for help in boosting its military capabilities. Western governments are worried about the presence of Russian private military contractor Wagner.
Since 2015 that violence has increased in the region with attacks by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
spreading to Mali’s neighbours in the Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
. Thousands have been killed and over six million displaced, according to the UN.