International bodies and governments have all condemned the military takeover yesterday in Mali.
United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), Antonio Guterres, demanded the “unconditional release” of Mali’s leaders and the “immediate restoration of constitutional order”.
The chairman of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he “emphatically condemns” the arrests of President Keïta and his Prime Minister.
Also, the office of French President, Emmanuel Macron, has “condemned the attempted mutiny underway”. French Foreign Minister, Jean Yves Le Drian, urged the soldiers to return to barracks.
The United States special envoy to the Sahel, Peter Pham, tweeted: “The United States opposes any extra-constitutional change of government, whether by those on the streets or by the defense and security forces”.
Meanwhile, Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita resigned late last Tuesday night, hours after mutinous soldiers detained him and his Prime Minister, Boubou Cisse.
The president was seized from his home following months of mass protests against alleged corruption and worsening security in the West African country
It may be recalled that following its submissions from the ECOWAS Mediation Mission on the Resolution of the Socio-political Crisis in Mali in July 2020, the body said it would not tolerate any unconstitutional means of ascent to power in Mali.
This was after Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan-led Mediation Mission had recommended urgent constitution of a Government of national unity based on consensus and taking into account the recommendations of the Inclusive Dialogue.
The Mediation Mission, deployed July 15 to 19, 2020, was a follow-up to the ECOWAS Good Offices Ministerial Mission to Mali from June 18 to 20, 2020.
Urging for a speedy resolution to the socio-political crisis in Mali, the Mediation Mission noted the importance and necessity of respecting the institutions of the Republic of Mali, particularly the constitutional means of ascending to power in conformity with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
