Mali's Constitutional Court declares coup leader, Assimi Goita, President of the Transition
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Constitutional Court of Mali on Friday installed Col. Assimi Goita, president of the transition and head of state, following the resignation of the former president, Bah N'Daw, dethroned in a second military coup in nine months, PANA learned from an official source.
Goïta, the vice-president of the transition before the second coup, "exercises the functions, attributes and prerogatives of president of the transition to lead the transition process to its end," the Constitutional Court said.
Meeting for the first time on Friday afternoon with the entire Malian political class, Goita officially expressed his desire to see the Movement of 5 June-Rassembly of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP) propose the name of a future Prime Minister.
The M5 RFP is the movement composed of opposition political parties and civil society associations, which was involved since 5 June, 2020, in a huge protest against the former president, Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita, finally ousted from power on 18 August by a coup led by Goita.
Under pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a civilian government was installed, led by a retired military officer, Bah N'Daw, and a civilian Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane.
However, last Monday, the two leaders were arrested by soldiers and taken to the military camp of Kati, about 15 kilometres from Bamako, just hours after the establishment of a new government marked by the departure of two military members of the former junta responsible for the coup of August 18.
They finally resigned on Wednesday, while an ECOWAS mediation mission led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Johnson, was in the Malian capital to find a solution to the new Malian crisis.
The mission left Mali without making a statement.
On Sunday, the heads of state of the sub-regional organisation will meet in Ghana for an extraordinary summit on the situation in Mali, in which Goita, who is due to leave Bamako on Saturday for Ghana, will participate, according to sources close to the matter.
-0- PANA GT/JSG/BBA/VAO 29May2021
