Mali: what can Assimi Goïta, the head of the military junta, now do?
Malian Colonel Assimi Goïta, August 22, 2020 at the Ministry of Defense in Bamako, Mali.
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The heads of the military junta, which took power for the first time in August 2020, have just reoffended.
Their leader, Assimi Goïta, told foreign mediators who came to see him on Wednesday, May 26, that he was taking matters into his own hands for the moment, after the resignations of Bah N'Daw and Moctar Ouane.
What is its room for maneuver vis-à-vis the Malian political class and the international community?
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One certainty in Mali: the strong man of the moment is called Assimi Goïta, says
our correspondent in Bamako
,
Serge Daniel
.
When the mediation delegation met him on Wednesday May 26 in his offices, he clearly hinted that, until further notice, he was taking matters into his own hands, since transitional president Bah N'Daw resigned, as well as Prime Minister Moctar Ouane.
Lead the transition to completion?
And perhaps even that if he can lead the transition to its end, Assimi Goïta will not hesitate. But he needs allies, and he's already tested the waters. To the delegation of mediators, the head of the junta did not hide that he intends to govern in particular with the M5-RFP, a movement made up of parties and associations which all contributed to the fall of the former president, Ibrahim. Boubacar Keïta.
Colonel Goïta has already received officials from M5.
But a fringe of this movement condemns the coup and does not intend to work with it, for the moment in any case.
Several other political parties are on the same line.
The coup is also denounced by human rights associations.
Assimi Goïta must also face international sanctions.
The United States, for example, has already stopped its military cooperation.
Emergency meeting of the Security Council
Meanwhile in New York, writes
our correspondent
Carrie Nooten
, the Security Council met urgently, at the request of France and the A3 group.
In a statement, he condemned the ouster of the transitional authorities - without proposing sanctions.
More than 48 hours after the arrest of the interim president and prime minister in Mali, the Security Council unanimously called yesterday for the “
safe, immediate and unconditional
” release of all Malian representatives detained by the forces of security and military. The diplomats also urged these forces to return to their barracks "
without delay
", before declaring that "to
impose a change of direction of the transition by force, including by forced resignations, was unacceptable
".
The Council called for an "
immediate resumption
" of the transition led by civilians in Mali: there is no question for him of delaying the 18-month deadline set for the organization of new elections.
And he reiterated his support for regional organizations in their resolution of this crisis which began last August, an extraordinary summit of ECOWAS could also be convened soon.
However, Security Council diplomats failed to agree on possible retaliatory measures against the soldiers led by Assimi Goïta.
Life goes on though
Despite the expectation at the top of the state following the coup, life goes on for the Bamakois.
Shops, services and schools are operating normally even if the populations fear being impacted by this politico-institutional crisis, writes
one of our correspondents in Bamako
,
Kaourou Magassa
.
In front of a private faculty in Bamako, dozens of students discuss while inside an exhibition-sale fair and an open day take place.
News is at the heart of their discussions.
Security crisis, repeated strike, but also institutional vacuum obstruct their vision of the future.
“
A country on this path, all the time, a president resigns, another comes to the throne, frankly speaking there, that worries me, that worries me of course.
While the others are there to move forward, we are there to move back, because of that, we suffer.
Because of these badly organized situations, that's what,
”they say.
Further on, seated in a lounge chair with a glass of tea in hand, Souleymane Tolo takes a break from making rattan baskets.
The dozens of household items on display alongside it are sold directly to roadside shoppers in this informal, open-air workshop.
This activity allows her to meet her needs but the news they have seen since this morning worries her.
"
If ECOWAS imposes sanctions
," he says, "
the populations will suffer more than the authorities who are at the top.
Everyone is looking for their daily bread from day to day, Malians live like that.
If the borders happen to be closed, it will be very difficult for us.
"
No sanction has yet been decided by the sub-regional organization.
In an attempt to reassure the populations, the Ministry of Security has also denied in a press release published yesterday the rumors of a curfew and the closure of the land and air borders of the country.
►
See also: Resignations of Bah N'Daw and Moctar Ouane: Mali under threat of sanctions
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