Mali: ECOWAS remains inflexible against the junta
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, at the head of the rotating president of ECOWAS, September 15, 2020 in Accra.
REUTERS / Francis Kokoroko
Text by: Lucie Mouillaud Follow
4 min
The ruling junta in Mali went to Accra on Tuesday, September 15 to meet the delegation of ECOWAS heads of state.
Objective: to convince the West African regional organization to lift economic sanctions and support the transition in the country.
But no agreement came out of the meeting.
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After a closed-door meeting lasting several hours, the heads of state of ECOWAS did not accept the proposals presented by the delegation led by the head of the Malian junta, Assimi Goïta.
The sub-regional organization reiterates its request for the rapid appointment of a civilian president and prime minister.
"
We hope that we are talking about days and not weeks,
" said Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, also at the head of the rotating ECOWAS presidency.
It is only after these appointments that the economic sanctions against Mali - the embargo on trade and financial flows and the closing of the borders with the country - will be lifted.
A point that the Ivorian president, Alassane Ouattara underlined at the exit of the meeting, by estimating that Mali could not "
remain in this situation for days and weeks
".
"
It is important for all of us
," he insisted, wishing that a "
consensual solution
" be found "
as quickly as possible
".
The mediator of the ECOWAS, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, is due to travel to Bamako again next week to ensure progress towards the civil transition of the CNSP, the National Council for the Salvation of the People established by the military for rule the country.
According to Burkinabè President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, he will have to be dissolved after the installation of the transition.
Differences on the transition plan
Since the takeover of power by the putschites and the resignation of President IBK on August 18, no agreement has yet been reached with ECOWAS.
The countries of the sub-region are asking for the organization of a poll in the next twelve months, and in the meantime, the appointment of a civilian president and an interim prime minister.
The junta soldiers, for their part, defend an 18-month transition.
This is the option retained in
the charter adopted Saturday in Bamako
, after the three days of consultations organized between the junta, civil society and political figures.
This transition is considered far too long for ECOWAS.
But supporters of the charter justify this delay by a need for time and authority to redress the country.
The M5-RFP stands out from the transition charter
This Tuesday, during a press conference, Mountaga Tall, one of the leaders of the M5-RFP, said that it was necessary that "
corrections can be made to the documents of the national consultation
”.
The leaders of the movement denounce "
intimidation and anti-democratic and unfair practices
" during the days of discussions held last week.
But at the same time, the leaders of the M5-RFP indicate that they remain in the logic of the transition and in the dialogue with the junta.
In a statement released today, they declare "
neither to break nor to come into conflict with the CNSP
", and reaffirm their availability "
to work in concert with the military and all Malians
".
As soon as the national consultations ended, the M5-RFP stood out from the adopted transition charter.
According to them, the document does not reflect "
the views and decisions of the Malian people
".
Thus, according to the movement, the majority choice during the consultations fell on a president and a civilian Prime Minister for the transition.
A precision which does not appear in the final conclusions of the charter.
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