West African countries insist civilian rule after a military coup in Mali

Mali's coup leaders and mediators from West Africa's regional bloc on August 27 held talks, insisting that Mali returns to the civilian rule after a military coup in troubled nation ousted country’s leader Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Fifteen nation Economic Community of West African States (or ECOWAS) conducted a meeting with Mali’s president Keita at an unspecified location, the delegation head and former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan reportedly said. Top West African officials negotiated with Mali’s military Junta that held president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita captive for nine days on August 18 on conditions of three-year soldier-led transitional military rule. 

At a live-streamed virtual press address, chair of the regional bloc ECOWAS, President Mahamadou Issoufou Keita of Niger said, “If we consider that the question of (Keita's) release is resolved, it is not the same concerning the return to constitutional order, which pre-supposes that all troops return to their barracks.”

The rebel soldiers seized the power in a coup following months of protests against the Mali President. The negotiation talks, in the presence of Colonel Assimi Goita reached some agreements, however, the two parties had some loopholes in key decision making and were unable to reach a unanimous decision. Although, both regional delegation and the military officers that wanted the country to “move on” agreed to discuss a resolution forward. A spokesperson for the junta, Colonel Ismael Wague was quoted as saying that the military Junta and the delegation compromised on certain aspects, and the negotiations will continue. 

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According to several reports, while the regional bloc ECOWAS initially demanded President Keita to assume his services, the President reportedly said that he no longer wanted to resume duties. Although, the citizens attacked the transition scheme and demanded the immediate resumption of the constitutional law and order. This evokes fear of regional revolt and upheaval similar to the 2012 coup that led to the jihadist insurgency. Threats of sealing Mali’s borders and sanctions against coup leaders have surfaced due to the chaos.

In a presser, Presider Keita said that “he resigned quite freely, convinced that this decision was necessary for peace and stability in Mali. "The junta accepted letting president Keita return to his home with the security appropriate to his rank as a former head of state, as well as the possibility of having the doctor of his choice and of travelling abroad for medical checkups," he said.

Ban on trade and financial flows

However, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States imposed the ban on trade and financial flows in the nation amid the governmental-civil disturbances. As per the statement made by the chief ECOWAS envoy, Goodluck Jonathan, coup leaders wanted a three-year transition period which was rejected by the ECOWAS team that demanded interim government with an ex-military officer or a civilian as a leader. 

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(Image Credit: AP)