Mali: ECOWAS proposes a crisis exit plan

An ECOWAS delegation was on a mission in Mali to try to defuse the political crisis in the country. But the crisis exit plan of the experts of the West African organization was not accepted by the opposition, which demands the resignation of  President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

The mission recommended the formation of a government of national unity and the settlement of electoral disputes.

The problems of Mali today “are linked to problems of governance”, insisted the ECOWAS mission members, who essentially propose three things.

The first is the rapid and consensual reconstitution of the Constitutional Court so that the Wise Men can once again rule on the results of the latest legislative elections. They will have to decide on the provisional results published by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and most probably restore the rights of the 31 deputies by the defunct Constitutional Court.

There is therefore no question of new elections or partial parliamentary elections.

The second proposal of ECOWAS experts is the formation of a government of national unity. The mission of the regional organization does not propose the departure of the Prime Minister, but a quota of ministries for each party: 50% for the government, 30% for the opposition and 20% from civil society.

The priority of this government would be the implementation of the Algiers peace agreement and the settlement of governance problems.

The ECOWAS experts also recommend an investigation to determine who is responsible for the shooting of demonstrators and the destruction of public buildings during the recent opposition protests.

Tens of thousands of protesters lately took to the streets in Bamako, demanding the president’s exit as the West African nation confronts a coronavirus outbreak, a failing economy and the world’s fastest-growing Islamist insurgency.

At least 11 people have died and nearly 150 have been injured in the protests. Demonstrators have blamed the deaths on security forces firing into the crowds.

ECOWAS experts hope that their plan can be put in place by July 31, so that Mali can get back on track. But the rapid implementation of this crisis exit plan is far from being won since the Malian opposition has not obtained the resignation of President IBK.

The Chairman of the ECOWAS mission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, remains optimistic, however, and assures that the doors of dialogue remain open.