Mali: "Time is running out and the risks are great", says ECOWAS president
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - "Time is running out for Malians and the risks are great,"the president of the Conference of Heads of State of ECOWAS, Mahamadou Issoufou, declared on Monday at the opening of the summit taking place by videoconference, according to a statement from the Presidency of Burkina Faso.
"Our target is to find a modus vivendi between the protagonists in the Malian crisis in order to avoid a collapse of the country," Issoufou explained in his opening speech.
"I found hope that we will achieve concerted solutions acceptable by all the protagonists, for a rapid exit from the crisis," wrote the President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, specifying that "Mali's stability is important for all the countries in the region, especially in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime".
Since the controversial legislative elections in April, Mali, already facing a security crisis following terrorist attacks since 2012, has found itself facing demonstrations contesting the election results.
These demonstrations, led by civil society organizations and opposition political parties, now require far-reaching reforms, including the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and a new government.
TNegotiations started by envoys from ECOWAS last week have still not succeeded.
-0- PANA TNDD/BEH/KND/VAO 27July2020
