(3 minutes read)
· Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Mali to mediate on the political crisis. He is holding conversation with the head of the government (Colonel Goita) who was then (when the summit in Accra took place in May) the deputy, and with the new prime minister
· Colonel Assimi Goita was sworn in as the President the other day (May 24). By virtue of that , he has strengthened his hold on power in the West African country — after spearheading his second coup d’état in nine months.
· The African Union has since suspended Mali’s membership to pressure Goita to step down and quell the perceived political crisis
· France has temporarily suspended its joint military operations with the Malian armed forces
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Mali to meditate on the political crisis. He is holding a conversation with the head of the government (Colonel Goita) who was then (when the summit in Accra took place in May) the deputy, and with the new prime minister. He told a press briefing that the military officials agreed that the prime minister would be a civilian to avoid conflict between the prime minister and the head of government.
Colonel Assimi Goita was sworn in as the President the other day (May 24). By virtue of that , he has strengthened his hold on power in the West African country — after spearheading his second coup d’état in nine months. The African Union has since suspended Mali’s membership to pressure Goita to step down and quell the perceived political crisis. France has temporarily suspended its joint military operations with the Malian armed forces as reported by www.trendsnafrica.com yesterday.
Despite pressure being exerted from various quarters, Goita not showing any signs of relenting. He still maintains that he would soon step down once a credible civilian government is installed. Not many are willing to buy his assurances since they feel that it is a ploy to continue his grip in the governance structure.
