In Mali, the junta will come to an end. In any case, this is what she assures, this Monday, setting a deadline of two years before a return to power for civilians. This has given itself until March 2024 before returning power to civilians, by fixing by decree at two years from March 26 the duration of the so-called transition period. The head of the junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta, signed a decree to this effect read on state television and stipulating that “the duration of the transition is set at 24 months, (from) March 26, 2022”.
This announcement comes two days after a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which imposed severe commercial and financial retaliation measures on Mali on January 9 to force the junta to present a timetable. “acceptable” return of civilians to power.
The colonels who took over by force in August 2020 the leadership of this country plunged since 2012 into a deep security, political and humanitarian crisis have withdrawn from their initial commitment to give way to civilians after elections scheduled last February.
At the beginning of the year, they even planned to govern for up to five more years. Before the ECOWAS summit, while the sanctions accentuate the crisis in this poor and landlocked country, they had reduced their claims to 24 months, without formalizing them as they did on Monday. Until then ECOWAS has agreed to a maximum of 16 months.