Mali coup - The African Mirror

Sep

2021

West African bloc imposes sanctions on Guinea, Mali

WEST Africa's main regional bloc has imposed sanctions against the junta in Guinea and those slowing Mali's post-coup transition - its toughest response yet to a run of military takeovers. The move was agreed at an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra to respond to last week's putsch in Guinea and perceived slow progress towards constitutional rule in Mali following a coup last year. Regional heads of state decided to freeze the financial assets and impose travel bans on Guinea's junta members and their relatives, insisting on the release of President Alpha Conde…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

No justice for victims of 2020 Mali protests, coup

NEWS

ALISON KENTISH IT has been about a year since anti-government demonstrations and a coup in Mali, which saw 18 people, including a 12-year-old boy being killed. But there has been no justice for the families of those injured and killed by defence and security forces during last year’s May to August protests. Amnesty International released the findings of a report into injuries and fatalities that occurred titled “Killed, wounded, and forgotten? Accountability for the killings during demonstrations and the coup in Mali”. Following field and remote interviews with victims’ families, civil society representatives, journalists and members of the judiciary, it…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Mali coup figure named head of transition council

NEWS

ONE of the army officers behind an August coup in Mali has been named to lead a new transitional legislative body, a spokesman for the authorities said. The appointment boosts the number of military figures in key roles, something that has dismayed some political factions. After the ouster of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18, hopes of a civilian-led transition were dashed by the appointment of the junta's leader as vice president, while retired colonel Bah Ndaw became president. At its inaugural meeting, a transitional council of 121 members has now approved as its president Colonel Malick Diaw, one…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Ousted Mali president in hospital for checks, says source close to family

NEWS

MALI’S ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was hospitalised in the capital Bamako on Tuesday evening for an overdue check-up with his doctor, a source said, six days after he was released from detention by the country's new military leadership. The junta allowed Keita, 75, to return home last Thursday in an attempt to court goodwill with regional states who imposed strict sanctions on the country following his overthrow on August 18. According to a deal struck with regional mediators, the junta agreed to allow Keita, who has ongoing health issues, to see his doctor, and if necessary, travel abroad for…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

“Disease” of Mali coup needs stamping out, say neighbours

NEWS

MALI’S West African neighbours believe that sanctions they imposed over a coup there were needed to stamp out the "disease" of military takeovers, and that the officers who engineered the power grab should return to barracks. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Mali from its institutions, shut borders and halted financial flows with the country following last week's ousting of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Concerned about prolonged instability in Mali and its potential to undermine the fight against Islamist militants there and in the wider Sahel region, ECOWAS maintained that hard line on Friday. "Putschism" was…