ECOWAS Happy with Mali's Transition Progress

ECOWAS Official Visit

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo arrived in Bamako on Sunday as he — the head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was on an official assessment mission in Mali.

The visit came after the lifting of sanctions on the West African country — initially imposed by the 15 nation bloc in light of the military coup d’état on August 18, 2020.

Positive Report Card

The ECOWAS Commission Chief, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, gave a public address, "The president of the ECOWAS conference took note of the progress made towards implementing the decisions of the conference of heads of state and government since 18 August 2020, including the release of civilian and military personalities who were in detention, the establishment of the new transition authorities and the adoption of the transition charter. The President of the conference took note of the information on the forthcoming establishment of the National Transitional Council in an inclusive process. He urged the transitional authorities to finalise the timetable of the electoral process in order to reach the presidential and parliamentary elections within the indicated timeframe."

More to Follow

The Ghanian leader was received by the nation’s newly-appointed interim president Bah N’Daw and will also meet with his vice-president Colonel Assimi Goita — who led the junta that orchestrated the putsch which ousted former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita amidst both the Covid-19 pandemic and an ongoing fight against jihadists in the Sahel-Sahara region.

The colonels who overthrew Keita have pledged to return power to elected civilian leaders after a transition period of up to 18 months.