• Latest
  • Trending

Mali soldiers promise election as region seeks way out of coup crisis

August 19, 2020
President John Magufuli died from coronavirus, says Tanzania opposition leader

President John Magufuli died from coronavirus, says Tanzania opposition leader

March 18, 2021
Four dead, 16 injured in Eastern Cape crash

Police officers arrested for the killing of Mthokozisi Ntumba to appear in court

March 17, 2021
Armed men attack passenger convoy and village in Niger, killing 58

Armed men attack passenger convoy and village in Niger, killing 58

March 17, 2021
Ramaphosa vist EFF’s Seshego stronghold, says corrupt people will be jailed

CR17 bank statements never entered into court records: Lawyer

March 17, 2021
City of CT ‘managing’ load shedding as power cuts hit SA again

Eskom says possible heavy load shedding this winter if capacity is not met

March 16, 2021
EFF Student Command at UP calls for postponement of 2021 academic year

EFF Student Command at UP calls for postponement of 2021 academic year

March 16, 2021
Pick n Pay agrees to cap ginger and garlic pricing

Pick n Pay agrees to cap ginger and garlic pricing

March 15, 2021
TUT students won’t be joining nationwide fees protest, for now

TUT students won’t be joining nationwide fees protest, for now

March 15, 2021
Survivors of Equatorial Guinea blasts recall trauma

Survivors of Equatorial Guinea blasts recall trauma

March 15, 2021
Hundreds of drunk drivers arrested in Gauteng

JMPD deploys officers in Joburg CBD ahead of student protests

March 15, 2021
Students can apply for payment plans to cover registration fee: UWC

Nationwide university shutdown

March 15, 2021
ANCWL in the North West backs embattled Mahumapelo

Mahumapelo calls for removal of Dodovu

March 15, 2021
  • Latest
    • Community
    • Africa
    • International
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Motoring
  • People
    • Opinions
    • Health
  • Politics
  • Media
    • Entertaiment
    • Social Media
    • Media
  • Public Statement
Wednesday, April 21, 2021
  • Login
TP
  • Latest
    • Community
    • Africa
    • International
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Motoring
  • People
    • Opinions
    • Health
  • Politics
  • Media
    • Entertaiment
    • Social Media
    • Media
  • Public Statement
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
    • Community
    • Africa
    • International
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Motoring
  • People
    • Opinions
    • Health
  • Politics
  • Media
    • Entertaiment
    • Social Media
    • Media
  • Public Statement
No Result
View All Result
TownPress
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

Mali soldiers promise election as region seeks way out of coup crisis

August 19, 2020
in Africa
0
165
SHARES
798
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Soldiers who ousted Mali’s president and government in a military coup promised on Wednesday to oversee elections within a “reasonable” time, as calls from abroad grew for a peaceful resolution to an acute political crisis.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigned and dissolved parliament on Tuesday, hours after the mutineers detained him at gunpoint, further destabilising a country already in the grip of a jihadist insurgency and with a recent history of civil unrest.

The 15-nation regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) acted quickly to suspend Mali from its institutions, fearing Keita’s fall after nearly seven years in power could destabilise West Africa’s entire Sahel region.

As investors ditched shares in gold mining companies operating in the country while a sense of calm pervaded the capital Bamoko, it was still not clear early on Wednesday who was leading the revolt.

A spokesman for the mutineers, calling themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, said they had acted to prevent Mali from falling further into chaos.

Colonel Ismael Wague invited Mali’s civil society and political movements to join them to create conditions for a political transition.

“Our country is sinking into chaos, anarchy, and insecurity mostly due to the fault of the people who are in charge of its destiny,” he said while flanked by soldiers in a statement broadcast on state-owned television.

“We are not keen on power, but we are keen on the stability of the country, which will allow us to organise general elections to allow Mali to equip itself with strong institutions within the reasonable time limit.”

There was no immediate reaction to Wague’s offer from the opposition and leaders of recent protests, as the presidency of the G5 Sahel group of neighbouring states called on Malians to resolve the crisis peacefully, and demanded the release of Keita and other senior officials.

On Wednesday, European Union Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton said the bloc would insist on new elections within a reasonable timeframe.

In a violent run-up to Tuesday’s coup following months of protests against alleged corruption, at least 14 people were killed last month in demonstrations called by a coalition Keita’s political opponents and activists.

Referring to ECOWAS’s inability to broker a solution during mediation efforts then, followed by its firm reaction to Tuesday’s events, a diplomatic source working in the region said he feared ECOWAS had “burned its bridges”.

“We need a negotiated solution. But who will negotiate with (the mutineers),” the source said.

LOOTING

Landlocked Mali has struggled to regain stability since a Tuareg uprising in 2012 which was hijacked by Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda, and a subsequent coup in the capital plunged the country into chaos.

Late on Tuesday, anti-government protesters had poured into a central square in Bamako to cheer the mutineers as they drove through in military vehicles.

“I am against coups, but they become necessary if leaders are inflexible. What happened to IBK (Keita) was his own fault,” said 43-year-old motorcycle mechanic Namory Konate in central Bamako.

The capital was calmer on Wednesday, with people and traffic circulating as normal, although many shops, banks and public buildings remained closed amid evidence of overnight looting.

Videos circulating on social media showed Malians running unchecked through luxury compounds in the city, including properties identified by a Reuters correspondent as belonging to Justice Minister Kassoum Tapo and Keita’s son Karim.

Keita, 75, came to power in 2013 following the Bamako coup promising to bring peace and stability and fight corruption. He won reelection for a second five-year term in 2018.

In its first reaction to the coup on Tuesday, ECOWAS had also closed its member states’ borders with Mali, a measure that Ivory Coast said on Wednesday it had enforced.

Having previously warned it would no longer tolerate military coups in the region, ECOWAS plans to send a delegation to Mali to ensure a return to constitutional democracy.

Gold mining companies in Mali said they were operating as usual, while monitoring a deepening political crisis that hit their share prices on Wednesday.

B2Gold, Resolute Mining, AngloGold Ashanti, and Hummingbird Resources all said their mines were producing and staff were safe. Exploration firm Cora Gold said operations at its gold project continued.

Vincent Rouget, analyst at Control Risks Group, said the continued political uncertainty would “add to an already very high-risk premium that people associate with Mali” and could pose risks for the country’s mining industry in the future.

The UN Security Council will be briefed on Mali behind-closed-doors on Wednesday at the request of France and Niger, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had on Tuesday called for the immediate release of Keita and other detainees.

Comments

Share69Tweet40Share11Share16Send
Previous Post

Angola’s ex-leader sentenced to 5 yrs jail in $500 mln graft case – Lusa

Next Post

Ian Khama and Bridgette Motsepe cleared of money laundering by forensic report

Next Post

Ian Khama and Bridgette Motsepe cleared of money laundering by forensic report

Please login to join discussion
No Result
View All Result
Currently Playing

SAElections2019 Indelible Ink & Election Fraud

SAElections2019 Indelible Ink & Election Fraud

00:01:40

Why would Mampintsha assault Babes Wodumo?

00:00:40

Alph Lukau “raising the dead” is a fraud

00:01:36

Moozlie Mabena involved in a live video crash

00:00:58

Welkom Hijack Man shot in parking lot

00:01:04

Female theft suspects tries to evade guards at Clear Water Mall

00:01:48

Franchise Driver on duty with sex worker

00:00:47

Courageous female driver attack hjackers on driveway

00:01:33

University of Zululand Student stabbed to death by roommate

00:00:41

Vehicle High Jacking on Cedar road, Midrand

00:01:57

Watch thief steal a Hilux in Bloemfontein

00:01:05

Watch Mosque Shoe snatchers in action

00:00:43

Watch these Unbelievable Shoplifters Caught with the Loot

00:03:13

Journalist attacked by EFF Floyd Shivambu and security details

00:00:43

Attempted cash in transit heist by DSTV office in Randburg

00:00:48

KFM Presenters and the Three Rs Blunder

00:00:59

SAPS Higspeed chase

00:01:08

Ruthless home invaders in westrand

00:01:30

Dj Khomza bashes girlfriend with a spanner

00:01:56

Daybreak Robbery in Auckland Park

00:01:15

Fake Police arrested in Johannesburg

00:01:00

#MduduziManana assault video at Cubana

00:00:29

Racial assault of couple at KFC montana

00:01:22

Smart Porsche driver escapes hijackers in Johannesburg

00:00:49

VW Polo Hijack at Kempton Park filling station

00:02:13

Women caught husband cheating and jumps on Carhood

00:02:02

Carlton Centre, Joburg Heist

00:01:06

Did Malema call Mandela a Sellout ?

00:02:01

Petrol Attendant beat up a man

00:01:01

Car Hijack gone wrong

00:02:15

Armed robbery in Alberton

00:00:52

Mother and son in Polokwane attacked by panga wielding robbers

00:02:04

Hyundai i10 Hijacking in Chatsworth

00:00:59

Check more Videos on Youtube

Connect

Connect
TownPress

Copyright © 2021 Townpress.

Navigate Site

  • Terms and conditions
  • About Us
  • Subscription
  • Contact
  • Account

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
    • Community
    • Africa
    • International
  • Sport
  • Business
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Motoring
  • People
    • Opinions
    • Health
  • Politics
  • Media
    • Entertaiment
    • Social Media
    • Media
  • Public Statement

Copyright © 2021 Townpress.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Go to mobile version
This site uses cookies to improve user experience: Find out more.