France, EU Join Calls for Mali to Resolve Political Standoff
France, EU Join Calls for Mali to Resolve Political Standoff
France and the European Union backed international calls for a quick resolution to Mali’s political standoff, which threatens to destabilize the country and a region besieged by Islamist insurgents.
Several protests have taken place in the capital, Bamako, since a March 29 parliamentary vote that opposition parties say was rigged. Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita acknowledged last week the criticism of the vote, without commenting on its legitimacy. But the Economic Community of West African States has since called for a revision of its results, after flying a mediator into the country.
“The political crisis which has rocked Mali for several weeks threatens the stability of the country and the region,” European Union High Representative Josep Borrell said in a statement in which he backed the Ecowas intervention. The French Foreign Ministry said Monday it also supports the regional body’s efforts to resolve the crisis.
Mali, a gold and cotton producer, has struggled to restore stability in its northern and central regions since Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda seized control in early 2012. Large swaths of the country remain out of government’s jurisdiction despite a 2015 peace agreement with some armed groups. Keita, 75, has faced criticism for his inability to quell the violence, with some opponents and activists calling for his resignation.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and African Union Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat have also backed the Ecowas proposal, which asks Keita to include more opposition members in his government.
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