Mali

The political crisis in Mali following the seizure of power by the military is quite worrying. It creates a condition of insecurity and uncertainty in the life of that country. During the consultative meeting in Accra, all sides to the conflict together with stakeholders in the sub-region came up with frank discussions from various viewpoints as a way of ensuring a peaceful return to constitutional rule. The military junta wants to rule the country for three years before handing over power to civilian rule. Other stakeholders to the meeting are of the view that as much as possible the country needs to return to civilian rule without any further delay. It is therefore expected that the ECOWAS chair with the support of other sub-regional leaders will be able to strike a deal with the military leaders so as to ensure peace in Mali.

Unidentified gunmen on Saturday killed at least 14 soldiers in central Mali, an area targeted by a growing wave of attacks by Islamist militants, when they overran a military camp early on Saturday, two army officers said.

More than 130 people were killed in an attack on a village in central Mali on Saturday by armed men wearing traditional Dogon hunters' clothing.

Mali’s opposition coalition said security forces detained two leaders of anti-government protests and raided its headquarters on Saturday following violent demonstrations against the president in the capital.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita will run for re-election in July, his office said on its Twitter account Monday.

Mali's president has appointed the government of the country's new prime minister, as he prepares for a presidential campaign amid an ongoing threat from jihadists.
According to a decree published Sunday, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita installed 36 ministers for Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's government.

Mali's opposition leader on Friday rejected the announcement that President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was the winner of a presidential runoff in this West African nation, saying he would be filing a fraud complaint to the Constitutional Court.

Mali's Prime Minister Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga and his government resigned on Friday, a surprise move just months ahead of presidential polls.
Authorities gave no reason for Maiga, who had been in his post since April, stepping down seven months before President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita seeks re-election.

Mali's Constitutional Court on Monday declared Ibrahim Boubacar Keita president after the 73-year-old incumbent won elections that his opponent, former minister Soumaila Cisse, 68, said were marred by fraud.

Written By Dr Ebenezer Ashley - In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people paraded the streets of Bamako in Mali to demand the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The protesters were believed to have been mobilized by an influential Muslim leader, Mahmoud Dicko under the auspices of the June 5 Movement – Rally of Patriotic Forces. The Rally of Patriotic Forces is a coalition of leaders from disparate civil society, social and political groups in the country. On Friday, 24th July this year, leaders of Ghana, Cote d’ivoire Nigeria, Senegal and Niger from the ECOWAS bloc held talks with the Malian President Ibrahim Keita and key figures of the opposition protest movement to broker peace.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, will on Sunday, May 30, in Accra, hold an extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Mali’s political upheaval.

West African leaders suspended Mali from their regional bloc Sunday over what they said amounted to a coup last week, Ghana’s foreign minister said after an emergency meeting to address the political crisis in Mali.