The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Monday adopted a Declaration in the direction of settling the political disaster in Republic of Mali.
During a virtual Extraordinary Session of the leaders of the sub-regional body, President Muhammadu Buhari appealed to government and folks of Mali to think about suggestions of ECOWAS Special Envoy, former President Goodluck Jonathan and his team, in resolving the political disaster, saying a government of national unity will present inclusivity and guarantee peaceful co-existence.
Present at the virtual extraordinary meeting had been the Presidents of Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Niger Republic, who’s the ECOWAS Chairman.
Equally present was Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of ECOWAS Commission.
The meeting adopted positions to resolve disaster sparked off by disputed parliamentary elections held in Mali, which had led to widespread riots, arson and killings within the West African nation.
Amongst conclusions by the Heads of State and Government are: formation of a Government of National Unity to comprise 50% nominees by government of the day, headed by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 30% by the opposition, and 20% by civil society groups.
It was additionally agreed that given the numerous challenges facing the nation, some members of Government can be nominated before the National Unity Government is formed. These are the Ministers in control of Defense, Justice, Foreign Affairs, National Security and Finance.
The Malian President was equally mandated to make sure the stepping down of the 31 parliamentarians who emerged from the disputed polls, while a by-election can be held as speedily as doable.
Additionally agreed was that steps ought to be taken to reconstitute the Constitutional Court within the nation as quickly as possible, while a commission of enquiry would decide and establish those answerable for the violence that led to deaths and casualties in addition to public properties destroyed on July 10-12, 2020.
Equally resolved was that the federal government would step up efforts to secure the release of opposition figure, Soumaila Cisse, kidnapped since March, amongst others.
The ECOWAS Commission is to put in place a Monitoring Committee for the implementation of all of the above measures.
The Declaration, to be communicated to relevant organs of African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN), additionally agreed to assist President Keita in restoring peace and order to Mali, stressing that no anti-constitutional change of government can be accepted wherever in West Africa.
In his remarks, President Buhari urged Malian political leaders to think about the delicate peace within the nation and the doubtless spiralling impact on the sub-region.
