ECOWAS leaders call for immediate return to constitutional order in Mali

ECOWAS leaders call for immediate return to constitutional order in Mali

At the heels of the military uprising in Mali, Chairman of ECOWAS President Issoufou Mahamadou, President of Niger called for an extraordinary meeting of member states a few hours ago to deliberate on the situation.

In a video conference of all the heads of member states, they agreed to condemn with the greatest firmness the overthrow of the constitutionally elected government of President Boubacar Keita and called for the immediate restoration of the constitutional order

The West African leaders reminded the military of its primary responsibility of ensuring safety and security of economic, commercial, and financial relations between Mali and the rest of the region.

The leaders did not rule out the use of ECOWAS standby force, but resolved instead to send a high powered delegation to Mali to ensure the return to what they termed the constitutional order.

A group of young military personnel led by Colonel Sadio Diaw Camara staged a mutiny and arrested President Keita after weeks of violent unrest during which protesters demanded the resignation of President Keita.

The mutinying solders were able to secure that resignation by the president and immediately vowed to conduct a free and fair election to restore Mali to constitutional rule. But the ECOWAS meeting and its resulting resolution suggests that Keita’s peers in the region are not satisfied with that arrangement.

West Africa has a large concentration of former French colonies which have mostly been led by those perceived to be puppets of France.

One expert DNT spoke to in Senegal said Senegalese citizens, just like their Malian counterparts, have a very negative opinion of France. They think France is most responsible for the backwardness in terms of economy of the former colonies like Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Tigo, Benin, Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso,” Dialo said.

Diallo further stated that political figures in Senegal have issued a stern warning to President Macky Salle not to even think about following the dictatorial path that Allassane Outtarra of Cote d’Ivoire and Alpha Combe of Guinea are pursuing by staying beyond their constitutionally mandated two terms.