ECOWAS summit on the transition in Mali scheduled for Friday: agreement in sight?

The headquarters of Mali at the headquarters of ECOWAS in Accra (Ghana), September 16, 2021 (photo illustration).

© AFP - NIPAH DENNIS

Text by: David Baché

2 mins

An extraordinary summit on Mali is scheduled for Friday, March 23.

West African heads of state will meet again in Accra, Ghana, which holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, to discuss Mali.

But this time, the Malian transitional President, Colonel Assimi Goïta, is invited to participate.

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It is a letter sent by the ECOWAS Commission to the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs which announces this summit.

Consulted by RFI, it has not been authenticated by either party – who have not denied either – but several sources close to the negotiations confirm.

The missive begins with “compliments” – which is far from usual – followed by an invitation to send to the President of the transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta, so that he can take part in the extraordinary summit on Friday.

What to consider, perhaps, good news, after months of tense negotiations.

Faced with the refusal of the Malian authorities to respect their commitment and to hold presidential and legislative elections at the end of February, ECOWAS imposed economic sanctions on Mali, which have weighed heavily on the population since the beginning of January.

End of disagreements on the march of the transition?

Already in power since August 2020, after two military coups, the transitional authorities want an extension to carry out the promised reforms.

But ECOWAS demands a return to constitutional order within a " 

 " period estimated at one year.

Bamako, which had initially considered five more years, revised its ambitions downwards and proposed two years last week.

An effort still deemed insufficient by the West African organization.

Has ECOWAS finally given in?

Has it obtained anything else, for example the formation of a government of national unity, as some sources have mentioned?

At this point, if a deal were to be announced on Friday, his secret is still well-kept.  

►Also read: End of the transition in Mali: the ECOWAS mediator leaves Bamako without an agreement with the junta

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