National meeting in Mali: "We cross the proposals to determine the general trend"

Audio 02:18

The Malian Minister for the Refoundation of the State, Ibrahim Ikassa Maïga, during the closing of the consultations on the National Conference for the Refoundation, in Bamako on October 26, 2021. © Manon Laplace / RFI

Text by: David Baché

3 min

The Assises begin today at the national level, they have already taken place, since the beginning of the month, at the level of local authorities: in more than 700 municipalities, in circles, regions, also within the diaspora. .. Security, governance, 13 themes are on the table ... What is the content of the discussions, on what will the national synthesis which began today and which will last until Thursday cover?

How is the current work going?

David Baché asked these questions to Mamadou Hachim Koumaré, president of the Organizing Committee of the National Assizes for the Refoundation of Mali.

He begins by welcoming the participation of Malians in this vast consultation.

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Mamadou Hachim Koumaré

 : There has been such enthusiasm that we feel that the Malians needed this situation to come and explain what they can do to try to move Mali forward and build a new Mali.   

RFI:

And without prejudging the synthesis work that is in progress, what have the main proposals focused on?  

Mamadou Hachim Koumaré

: Almost everything that people gave reached consensus, because we have made a computer system, we have a database.

For each region, for each circle, for each municipality, we have pages where the recommendations on all thirteen themes come out, and we are in the process of making crossovers, to see the general trend. 

But whether it is a question of security, economy, governance, can you tell us a little more about the substance, about the nature of the proposals that are on the table? 

The recommendations focus on the thirteen themes, therefore on decentralization, on the state system, on environmental issues or even on the issue of political parties.

Do these first weeks of discussions already allow us to have an idea of ​​the electoral timetable which must result from these Assises, and which is particularly expected since it will determine the length of the transition period?  

Proposals have been made on everything, even on this issue.

It will definitely come out after the first day.

But we have to wait a little longer to give the main trends and not influence the debates.  

But are we talking about an extension of three months, six months, three years?

Is it still too early to tell?  

It's too early.

People still continue to express themselves, of which no indication should really be given so as not to influence the debates

You spoke of the crowds, but these Assises are boycotted by many political parties: Yelema de Moussa Mara, the Parena de Tiébilé Dramé, the RPM of IBK, there are several dozen… Also boycotted by the signatory armed groups of the peace agreement.

Finally, are the participants large enough to make these Assizes representative and legitimate? 

We have to rectify it a bit.

If they did not participate as a party, they participated under other structures, at the level of municipalities, circles and the region.

So everyone participated. 

For some individuals, is that it? 

Yes, there are some who have participated in an individual capacity, there are others who have participated in other capacities.

We did not try to distinguish between political parties and others. 

So, for you, no debate on the legitimacy of the conclusions that will be drawn? 

On the contrary, people are very happy.

This is going to be the end of a difficult session and the start of a good refoundation.   

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