The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc considers the appointment of Mali’s interim president and vice president to be a step towards normalising life in the country after the recent coup, an official said.
The ECOWAS Delegation Head and former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said this on Friday in Mali.
The military junta responsible for the coup in Mali, earlier this week appointed former Defence Minister Ba N’Daou as the transition president and Col. Assimi Goita as vice president.
They will both served for 18 months before a new government is established.
“Ahead of Friday’s scheduled inauguration of the leaders of Mali’s transition government, the #Ecowas mediation team today met with some stakeholders including Mr. Bah Ndaw, President-Designate and Col. Assimi Goita, …
“President of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and Vice President-Designate, both of who will be taking the oath of office at the official ceremony.
“We are optimistic that this event will signal the beginning of the return to normalcy in Mali,” Jonathan wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
On Aug. 18, the military coup in Mali began not far from the capital of Bamako and resulted in resignation of then-President Ibrahim Keita and his government.
The coup leaders established the CNSP — the governing body until the transition government takes power.
Earlier in September, the 15-nation ECOWAS bloc urged the junta to appoint members of government for a transitional period until Sept. 23, saying it would otherwise impose a full embargo on the country.
