Accra — West African leaders will gather Sunday to discuss Mali's political crisis, with the military junta submitting a new timeframe for a transition back to civilian rule at the last minute after its first proposal was rejected. The meeting comes after months of increasing tensions over the timetable for restoring civilian rule in Mali after a military takeover in 2020. Under threat of sanctions, Goita subsequently promised to restore civilian rule in February 2022 after holding presidential and legislative elections. The return to civilian rule has put the bloc's credibility on the line as it seeks to uphold fundamental principles of governance and contain regional instability. A West African Economic and Monetary Union summit will immediately precede the ECOWAS talks in Accra, with its eight members potentially meeting to lead concerted action and impose new economic sanctions.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 09, 2022 18:30 UTC