AFRICA PRESS REVIEW

In the spotlight: Mali, Guinea: two strategies…

Audio 03:47

Malian interim Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga speaking at the United Nations podium on September 24, 2022 in New York.

REUTERS - EDUARDO MUNOZ

Text by: Frédéric Couteau Follow

3 mins

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“ 

The Malian and Guinean Prime Ministers took to the United Nations podium on Saturday.

Both under the threat of strong sanctions from ECOWAS

, they adopted a very different attitude

 ,” notes

Jeune Afrique

.

“ 

The two regimes have things in common.

Both led by putschist colonels who recently came to power, Conakry and Bamako are facing the irritation of the countries of the sub-region together.

Their heads of government are both in their forties – Bernard Goumou is 42, Abdoulaye Maïga, 41.

 »

And their remarks at the UN podium on Saturday had nothing to do with it... " 

Abdoulaye Maïga delivered a very virulent speech, attacking in turn France, Côte d'Ivoire and the Niger

, relates

Jeune Afrique

.

Conversely, at the podium, Bernard Goumou adopted a consensual tone, listing the pledges of the junta since taking power a little over a year ago: development of a transition charter, training of civilian government and establishment of a National Transitional Council.

(…)

An opposite posture (therefore) to that of his Malian counterpart,

further comments on the Pan-African site,

which could foretell very different futures for each of the two countries within the sub-region.

 »

Restraint and… excess?

The

GuineaNews

site notes the restraint of the head of the Guinean government: " 

From the United Nations platform, Bernard Gomou avoided going into confrontation with the Economic Community of West African States, very often accused of being accomplice of presidents in violating their Constitution.

 »

For its part, the

Maliweb

site believes that " 

the Prime Minister, Abdoulaye Maïga has depicted the true face of France in Mali and in Africa

 ", qualifying the French authorities as a "

 junta in the service of obscurantism 

".

To read also: At the UN podium, the Malian interim Prime Minister spares no one

“ 

A Kalashnikov in the verb…

 ”

In neighboring Burkina Faso, also under the control of a military junta, but where the press can still express itself freely, some newspapers are indignant.

Like

L'Observateur Paalga

, who does not mince his words: " 

Like a hippopotamus emerging from the muddy waters of the raging Djoliba, Lieutenant-Colonel Boubacar Maïga has pulled out the folds of his white bazin, with golden embroidery, a Kalashnikov in the verb.

And pan on the elephant of the Ebrié lagoon;

and pan on the Nigerian giraffe;

and pan on the Bissau-Guinean blue shark;

and pan on the Gallic rooster;

and pan and pan… The Malian delegation at this 77th session of the United Nations gave a literally laughable spectacle.

(…)

The Malian Prime Minister has confused firmness of tone and insults, truth and denunciation, desire for independence and isolationist anger. 

»

 He dared!

 adds

WakatSéra

, still in Ouagadougou.

“ 

Yes, the interim Prime Minister of Mali has achieved the feat of taking advantage of the United Nations platform to further disunite his country from its neighbors, trampling on the fundamentals of diplomatic language

(…)

.

But could we expect better from soldiers who have deserted the front where their real place is to invade the political scene, guns in the air?

The answer is no !

 »

“ 

Ridiculous! 

»

L'Intelligent

à Abidjan wonders: " 

Are there really similarities between the military junta in power in Mali and the "junta" (in quotation marks) Macron in France?

 It's " 

ridiculous

 ", exclaims the Ivorian daily.

“ 

It's too big!

It is totally clear that there is no resemblance between the current governance in Mali and the governance in France.

It is a fable.

Words cannot create things.

On this point, Bamako only wins the reinforcement of esteem among those who already had credit for Assimi Goïta.

(…)

Calling the French authorities a "

junta

" does not change anything

, still insists

L'Intelligent, in Bamako, we have in power a group of unelected soldiers, not chosen by the people.

This small group imposed itself by force of arms, and it claims by means of some street support movements, alongside pressures against dissidents and opponents, to hold the legitimacy to speak on behalf of the people of Mali.

 »

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