Case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers: the Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs in Bamako

Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey during a meeting in Doha, August 8, 2022. © MUSTAFA ABUMUNES/AFP

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2 mins

The case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers arrested for more than four months in Bamako was one of the subjects during the summit of heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which took place held on Sunday 4 December in Abuja.

The summit designated Togo to request their release from the Malian authorities, and Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Dussey therefore traveled to Bamako on Thursday 8 December.

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With our regional correspondent,

As usual, Robert Dussey arrived discreetly in the Malian capital.

As usual, he carefully avoided the press, but witnesses formally recognized Togo's foreign minister in the company of UN diplomats: Jean-Pierre Lacroix and

.

The head of Togolese diplomacy was also received in Bamako by the President of the Transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta.

According to our information, he sent him a message from the last ECOWAS summit which was held in Abuja on December 4.

The new stay in Bamako of Robert Dussey, Togolese Minister of Foreign Affairs went rather well: "

", comments a Malian official.

Our interlocutor summarizes: law, politics and negotiation are necessary to obtain the rapid release of the 46 Ivorian soldiers.

We now know that, on the judicial level, the first instance investigation of the case has been completed since November 25th.

All eyes are now on the public prosecutor's office: Are we heading for a trial?

A dismissal?

A condemnation of the soldiers?

Bamako offers a cooperation protocol to Abidjan

But at the same time, the Malian authorities do not hide the fact that, in order to move the file forward, they are proposing to the Ivorian government to sign a memorandum of understanding marking the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries: according to our information, in a key points of this discussion, Mali asks Côte d'Ivoire to be on its side in the face of its difficulties.

Details of the memorandum are currently under discussion and the Malian and Ivorian authorities are once again talking to each other directly.

" 

Constructive Spirit

 "

During the ECOWAS meeting in Abuja, the heads of state had asked for the

of the 46 Ivorian soldiers arrested for more than four months in Bamako.

The information was then confirmed in Abuja the same day by Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission during a press conference.

He added that the heads of state had even brandished sanctions if these releases did not take place.

How did Colonel Assimi Goïta welcome the message from ECOWAS?

“ 

 ”, confides a Malian official.

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• Ivory Coast

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