Talks between Mali’s military junta and mediators from West Africa’s regional bloc were underway in Bamako yesterday in an ongoing effort to return the country to civilian rule.
The delegation from the Economic Community of West African States, led by Nigeria’s former president Goodluck Jonathan, met junta leaders led by Colonel Assimi Goita behind closed doors for several hours yesterday morning, before adjourning for lunch.
A senior officer close to the junta said that the morning’s discussion had focused on the bloc’s sanctions on Mali following the military coup.
The two sides also met briefly, for about 20 minutes on Saturday.
“The discussions are going very well,” Jonathan told journalists as he stepped out during yesterday’s break, without offering any further details.
Another officer close to the junta said the West Africa delegation had made proposals which would be examined.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), weary of prolonged instability in Mali and the potential for similar power grabs in the region, have taken a hard line on the coup.
It suspended Mali from its decision-making institutions, shut borders and halted financial flows with the country.
The overthrow of Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Tuesday has been condemned abroad, but celebrated by many in a country battling an insurgency and months of political unrest following a disputed legislative election in March.
While the delegation arrived in Bamako on Saturday with the aim of reversing the coup, a diplomat said that reinstating Keita – who is being held by the junta – was out of the question, adding that the only thing it could achieve was a transition.
Jonathan said that Keita was doing relatively well.
“We saw him, he’s very fine,” said Jonathan.
Jonathan told AFP that negotiations were going well and he was “very hopeful”.
Ismael Wague, spokesman for the junta which calls itself the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, also said the negotiations were going “very well”.
A source close to the junta said the ECOWAS envoys had made a “good impression”.
“We understand that heads of state, like Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara, are working for an easing of tensions, for a peaceful solution, even if they have firmly condemned our seizing power. We are open to discussion,” the source said.
The envoys also visited the Kati military base outside the capital Bamako where the coup began and which has become a new centre of power, the source said.
President Keita has been held at the base since the coup, along with Prime Minister Boubou Cisse and other high-ranking government figures.
Thousands of jubilant Malians took to the streets of Bamako on Friday to celebrate the toppling of Keita, who was reelected in 2018 but became the focus of widespread discontent.
The rally, originally organised as an anti-Keita protest by a loose coalition that has led months of mass rallies against him, was recast to “celebrate the victory of the Malian people”.
“I am overjoyed! We won,” said Mariam Cisse, 38.
But it was a different story on Saturday, when several dozen people who tried to rally in Bamako were dispersed by police.
“We are here this morning to show that we do not agree with the coup. But people attacked us with stones, then the police took advantage of this aggression to disperse our supporters,” said Abdoul Niang, an activist of a pro-Keita party.
from Gulf Times https://ift.tt/2Yvifma
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