Africa Mali West Africa World 

Mali delays anticipated referendum towards democracy

Mali‘s interim government has postponed the country’s much anticipated constitutional referendum. This is a key step in the country’s path towards elections meant to restore democracy after a military takeover in 2020. “The transitional government informs national and international opinion that the date of the referendum scheduled for March 19, 2023 … will be slightly postponed,” it said in a… Read More
Africa Mali West Africa World 

ECOWAS: Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso denied readmission

The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS has rejected a request from Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso to be re-admitted. These three countries have been suspended from ECOWAS following military takeover, which a democratic transition yet to take place. Foreign ministers from the three West African countries made the call for their reinstatement last week. A similar request was made to… Read More
Africa Mali West Africa World 

Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso seek re-entry into AU

Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso are seeking re-entry into the African Union. The foreign affairs ministers of these countries are in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, to lobby to be let back into the AU as this week’s summit opens. All three countries were suspended from the African Union and the regional grouping Ecowas following military coups. Mali’s foreign ministry said… Read More
Africa Mali Russia West Africa World 

Mali’s military government expels UN human rights chief

Mali has expelled the head of the UN peace-keeping mission’s human rights division from the country. The country’s military government has given him 48 hours to leave the country. In a statement read out on national television, a government spokesman said Guillaume Ngefa-Atondoko Andali had committed “subversive actions” This relates to his selection of witnesses to testify at UN Security… Read More
Africa Ghana Mali West Africa World 

Germany to stick to timetable to withdraw troops from Mali

Germany has said it will stick to its timetable to withdraw its troops from Mali starting this year and ending in 2024. The West African nation has been fighting a jihadist insurgency for more than 10 years now. Over 1,000 German troops have been deployed in Mali near the northern town of Gao, supporting the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA there.… Read More
Africa Mali West Africa World 

ECOWAS to setup peacekeeping force to deal with coups

– – West African leaders have announced their intention to establish a regional peacekeeping force to deal with coups. The said peacekeeping force would also help deal with the surging militant activities in member states. West Africa has for the past two years witnessed several coups. The regional body wants to more to boost constitutional government in the region. ECOWAS… Read More
Africa Egypt Mali North Africa West Africa World 

Egypt suspends activities of its contingent in Mali UN mission

– – Egypt on Friday announced it has suspended the activities of its contingent in Mali peacekeeping mission temporarily. The United Nations was informed of this move by Egypt with officials citing increased attacks on peacekeepers who escort convoys supplying UN bases. A UN spokesperson said on Friday that the attacks have caused the death of seven Egyptian soldiers since… Read More
Africa Ivory Coast Mali West Africa World 

Mali suspends all new UN peacekeeping missions

– – Mali’s military-led government has announced it is suspending all new troop rotations by U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA temporarily. The announcement on Thursday comes days after Malian forces arrested 49 soldiers from Ivory Coast who had arrived in country for the MINUSMA operations. Mali said the soldiers entered the country without permission, but Ivory Coast said the Malian authorities… Read More
Africa Mali West Africa World 

ECOWAS lifts sanctions on Mali and Burkina Faso

– – West African leaders have announced the lifting of economic sanctions on Mali amid progress by the coup leaders there to transition into civilian rule. At their summit in Ghana’s capital, Accra the ECOWAS leaders expressed happiness at the new time table presented by Mali following months of negotiation. The ECOWAS envoy to Mali, the former Nigerian President, Goodluck… Read More
Africa Mali West Africa World 

Mali: ECOWAS condemns extended military governance

– – The West African regional bloc Ecowas has condemned the decision of the military government in Mali to extend the transition to civilian government by two years while negotiations continue. Mali’s junta leader, Colonel Assimi Goïta, on Monday signed a decree fixing the length of the transition period to 24 months. He signed a decree read out on state… Read More