Case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers: in Bamako, Gnassingbé pleads for presidential pardon

Ivorian special forces soldiers preparing their ammunition for training (Illustrative image).

© Sylvain Cherkaoui / AP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Short visit – a few hours – of the Togolese president to Bamako, this Wednesday, January 4, to discuss the fate of the 46 Ivorian soldiers detained since last July in Mali, a file in which Lomé is mediating.

These soldiers were sentenced to twenty years in prison last week for an attack and conspiracy against the government of Assimi Goïta.

Even if Faure Gnassingbé avoided the press, his visit is an important step.

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With our correspondent in the region,

Upon his arrival, Togo's President Faure Gnassingbé did not make a statement to the press.

According to witnesses, he quickly rushed into a vehicle with the president of the transition of Mali, Colonel Assimi Goïta, direction Koulouba, seat of the presidential palace in Bamako.

I thank Colonel Assimi Goïta @GoitaAssimi, President of the Transition and the people of Mali for the warm welcome received today in Bamako.

We will discuss bilateral cooperation, and topics of common interest, including peace, security and regional integration pic.twitter.com/ItJsK916BO

— Faure E. GNASSINGBÉ (@FEGnassingbe) January 4, 2023

It was a question of evoking what a source close to the file described as " 

 ", in

 sentenced last week 

in Mali.

We expect, in fact, a possible Malian presidential pardon, which could put an end to the file.

So far, Togo has fought and continues to fight for a happy outcome in this case, and the Malian authorities do not hide the fact that they prefer Togolese mediation to that of the Economic Community of African States. of the West, ECOWAS.

The President of the Transition, HE Colonel @GoitaAssimi, Head of State, received, on January 4, 2023, the President of the Republic of Togo, HE Faure Gnassingbé, on a friendly and working visit to Mali, from 24h.

pic.twitter.com/SlDVqSbyOu

— Presidency Mali (@PresidenceMali) January 4, 2023

After the meeting in Koulouba, nothing filtered talks between the two leaders.

Witnesses who saw them leave the palace claim that their faces were not closed.

An indication for the future, for a quick outcome so that the Ivorian soldiers recover their freedom thanks to the presidential act?

In any case, Lomé is working on it.

Mali and Ivory Coast as well.

Relations between the two countries have recently improved, with the signing of a memorandum. 

►Also read: Case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers: despite the end of the ultimatum, ECOWAS does not intend to sanction Mali

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• Togo

• mali

• Faure Gnassingbe

• Assimi Goita

• Ivory Coast

• Alassane Ouattara