Mali's PM gives positive assessment of transitional government's first year
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian Prime Minister, Choguel Kokalla Maïga, gave a positive assessment of the transitional government's first year in office, particularly in terms of security.
"The Malian army is now operating throughout the country without needing anyone's authorization," he said at a press conference in Bamako.
Addressing the issue of the United Nations Multidimensional Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), he said that there are things to review in its mandate, stressing that "the dismissal of this force is not on the agenda."
On the social front, he praised the transition's governance efforts, noting that "we have rarely seen a country at war increase the salaries of its civil servants."
According to him, some 204 billion CFA francs have been mobilized by the government to harmonize the salary scale of civil servants.
Referring to Mali's relations with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has imposed heavy economic, financial and political sanctions against Mali since January 9, Choguel Kokalla Maïga reassured -
"With ECOWAS, there is a temporary quarrel", explained Mr. Maiga, who regrets, however, the maintenance of sanctions against Mali, during the extraordinary summit of the sub-regional organization on June 4 in Accra, Ghana.
"Basically, there is no quarrel between Mali and ECOWAS. The 24-month transition period set by the President of the Transition, Col. Assimi Goïta, was done with the aim of moving forward. There is no spirit of defiance in this decision, Maiga assured.
On the issue of the Single Election Management Body, he said the bill is being reviewed at the National Council of the Transition (CNT), the legislative body of the Transition.
"All politicians were involved in the adoption of the text. Some decided to voluntarily put themselves outside the process," the Malian Prime Minister defended himself.
"The train does not wait, when it leaves, it is finished," concluded Maiga.
Prime Minister Maiga thus closed "Mali Kura Taasira", a forum that gave the floor to each member of the government to expose to Malians the achievements and challenges of his department for a year.
-0- PANA GT/JSG/SOC/MTA/VAO 11June2022
