President Nana Akufo-Addo, Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will hold an urgent meeting on deepening Mali political crisis, involving key stakeholders on September 15, Tuesday.

The extraordinary meeting is expected to re-establsih dialogue on ways of an effective returning Mali to constitutional rule

The meeting is an integral part of the mediation efforts to prevent further deterioration of the Malian political crisis
The meeting will bring together delegation from nine African countries including, representatives of Mali military rules, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and relevant public figures who encouraged the demonstrations prior to the coup d’etat on August 18, 2020, that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s government.

The opposition coalition M5-RFP which led mass protests in Mali ahead of last month’s coup has rejected the transition Charter agreed with ECOWAS to establish an 18-month interim government until the free and fair elections could take place.

The announcement followed three days of the intense talks with opposition and civil society groups.

The M5-RFP group, lacking confidence in officers intentions, said the Charter was an attempt by military leaders to “grab and confiscate power.”

“It concerns in particular the profile of the president of the transition who must be a civilian and non-military personality, since this would subject us to the sanctions of the international community, hence ECOWAS, and the terms and conditions for the appointment of this president. And we have heard that it would be by a panel whereas this aspect was never debated in the plenary.” Ibrahim Ikassa Maïga, one of the leaders of the June 5 Movement explained.

Concerning the meeting is planned on in Accra between ECOWAS and Mali, it is not clear at this point in time if the leader of the military coup d’etat Assimi Goita will take risks to leave Bamako.

Regional powers worried that political instability will undermine a years-long fight against Islamists groups in Sahel, have pushed for a swift transition back to civilian rule.

ECOWAS has warned the military government must designate a civilian leader to head a one-year transition period by September 15 or else the country could face further sanctions, however the initial demands have changed, and there was an understanding that the interim President could be a military as well.