A conference in Mali charged with recommending a timetable for democratic elections following a military coup said on Thursday that polls scheduled for February should be delayed by six months to five years in part because of security issues. But it has made little progress, blaming disorganization and Islamist violence in the north and central parts of the country. ECOWAS, West Africa's main political and economic bloc, has imposed sanctions on the coup leaders and had promised more if Mali did not produce a plan for February elections by Friday. The government has said it will take the recommendations of the National Refoundation Conference and decide on a new election calendar by the end of January. It could also undermine democracy in West and Central Africa, where military coup leaders in Chad and Guinea are also under pressure to organize elections and give up power.

Source: Ethiopian News December 31, 2021 09:07 UTC