Good luck Jonathan, former Nigerian President met with Colonel Assimi Goita, the head of Mali’s junta, in Bamako on Tuesday in a desperate attempt to rescue the country’s delicate transition. Jonathan is ECOWAS’ Mali envoy.
Goita was sworn in as President of the Mali on Monday, two weeks after removing interim President Bah Ndaw, which drew the African Union’s suspension and censure.
“As I said, and it was reiterated by the mediators, that the commitment of ECOWAS has accompanied the transition process so that elections are held according to the schedule that has already been established by the Malian authorities. Therefore our role will be to support this process,” said Jean- Claude Brou Kassi, the ECOWAS delegation leader.
Jonathan’s trip was his second in two weeks. Goita has sworn to stick to the original transition plan, which calls for elections in February next year.
The second coup in nine months in the Sahel country threatens to derail a restoration to civilian governance. Activists and political groups have cautioned that the army is just interested in consolidating power and has no interest in establishing a democratic regime.
