Mali endorses up to five years of “transition” before organizing elections

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The assembly that has served as the legislative body in Mali since the military takeover ratified on Monday a period of up to five years before elections and a return of civilians to the head of the country.

The National Transitional Council (CNT) revised its charter on Monday, February 21, endorsing a period of up to five years before organizing elections and a return of civilians to the head of the country.

The assembly serving as the legislative body in Mali – and controlled by the military since taking power – approved by 120 votes for, no votes against and no abstentions a revision in this direction of the charter of the transition, noted AFP correspondents.

This charter serves as a fundamental act of the period preceding a return of civilians to the leadership of this country plunged into a serious security and political crisis since the outbreak of separatist and jihadist insurgencies in 2012.

The revision approved on Monday provides that the duration of the transition will be in line with the recommendations made following national consultations which took place in December 2021. These “assizes” recommended a transition of six months to five years.

It maintains the vagueness on the date on which elections would be held, while the question gives rise to a showdown between the Malian authorities and the organization of West African states Cédéao, as well as part of the international community.

The original version of the charter, promulgated by the military on 1er October 2020, a little over a month after their first putsch, set the duration of the transition at 18 months. The junta has since revoked its initial commitment to hold elections on February 27.

She expressed her intention to stay in place for four or five more years, a “totally unacceptable” delay for ECOWAS. The latter sanctioned such a project by imposing heavy economic and diplomatic sanctions on Mali on January 9, with a commercial and financial embargo and the closing of borders.

With AFP