 The UN envoy Al-Gasim Wain says immediate action is required to initiate critical reforms and lay the groundwork for credible elections in Mali, where the security situation is as worrying as ever. Wain, head of the UN Mortar Dimensional Integration Stabilization Mission in Mali, told the UN Security Council on Monday in New York that Mali was at a critical juncture with its democratic future at risk. Wain brift a 15-member body via a video conference in the wake of a coup d'etat in the landlocked West African country on May 24, the second in nine months that cast a shadow over efforts to restore an elected democratic government. Wain said an inclusive approach, strong leadership and political compromise, were all vital ingredients for reforms to succeed in Mali, alongside support from international partners like the African Union.