Mali: ECOWAS issues fresh appeal for ‘swift’ civilian transition

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Monday issued a new appeal for Mali to make a “swift” transition to civilian rule following a military coup on August 18.
“It is our community’s duty to help Malians towards the swift re-establishment of all democratic institutions. The military junta must help us to help Mali,” President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, ECOWAS’ current chairman, said at the start of a summit.
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The Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government Authority has told the current military junta in Mali that it has only one year to return the country to civilian rule.
Daily Times Nigeria gathered that this was one of the decisions arrived by the ECOWAS authority at the end of its second virtual extraordinary session on the socio-political situation in Mali.
Speaking during the session, President Muhmmadu Buhari, emphasised the needs for the country to return to democracy, warning that Mali could not afford to stand alone, charging the junta to be realistic by setting acceptable time table for return of democratic rule.
The President noted the briefings so far received from the ECOWAS Special Envoy, former President Goodluck Jonathan, indicated the regional body’s engagements with the new military leadership in Mali were yet to achieve the desired results in several key areas.
AFP