( 3 minutes read)
· The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be monitoring events in Mali following a coup before lifting its suspension from a regional bloc
· President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced a new civilian government and promised to adhere to a roadmap to elections early next year
· France would gradually withdraw its 5,100-strong Barkhane force that has battled jihadists in the Sahel since 2013
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be monitoring events in Mali following a coup before lifting its suspension from a regional bloc.
President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has announced a new civilian government and promised to adhere to a roadmap to elections early next year. A coup has taken place in May led by Colonel Assimi Goita. This was the second coup after having ousted elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after weeks of mass protests over corruption and the long-running jihadist conflict.
As a consequence of this, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Mali and imposed sanctions following the second coup. However, a spokesperson for ECOWAS said that there were positive developments, but added that more monitoring was needed before lifting Mali’s suspension since the heads of states want more positive developments from Mali that they mean business. Incidentally, the West African country announced a new government this month in which key roles were retained by army people. The second coup led again by Goita on May 24 was over a government reshuffle that sidelined key army officers.
France has suspended military cooperation with Mali. The country has thousands of troops stationed in the war-torn country. France would gradually withdraw its 5,100-strong Barkhane force that has battled jihadists in the Sahel since 2013.
