Mali’s West African neighbours have told the military which seized control 10 days ago that it must transfer power to a civilian-led transitional government immediately and hold elections within a year.
In exchange, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) committed to gradually lifting sanctions as the coup leaders complied with its demands, the bloc’s chairman said.
ECOWAS suspended Mali from its institutions, shut borders and halted financial flows with the country following the overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18.
On Friday, the 15-member grouping reinforced its a hard line because of concerns about prolonged instability in Mali and its potential to undermine the fight against armed rebels there and in the wider Sahel region.
It outlined four main points it wanted to see progress on before sanctions could be gradually lifted.
Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou, who currently chairs ECOWAS, said Mali’s transitional president and prime minister must be civilians, and would be banned from running in the next legislative and presidential elections.
“No military structure should be above the transitional president,” Issoufou said.
It also asked for the quick establishment of a government that will tackle the various challenges Mali is facing, and in particular, to prepare for legislative and presidential elections within 12 months.
Military spokesman Djibrila Maiga said its leaders were still studying the bloc’s decisions.
Regional leaders are scheduled to meet again on September 7 in Niger’s capital Niamey, where they will take stock of the situation in Mali and take other measures, if necessary, Issoufou said.