Mali's President, PM resign after arrests by military

Mali's interim President and Prime Minister resigned on Wednesday, two days after they were arrested by the military. Soldiers led by interim Vice President Assimi Goita, had arrested President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane and taken them to a military base on Monday after a cabinet reshuffle in which the two officers lost their posts.

 

Baba Cisse, an aide to Assimi Goita said that the president and prime minister have resigned and negotiations are ongoing for their liberation and the formation of a new government.  The resignations came during a visit by a delegation from the Economic Community of West African State, ECOWAS, which is pressing to resolve the



stand-off.

 

Goita, who led the coup in August last year against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, has claimed that the president and prime minister violated the transitional charter by failing to consult him about the new cabinet. Goita promised that elections planned for next year at the end of the transitional period would go ahead.

 

The military's actions have jeopardised Mali's return to democracy and drawn condemnation from international powers. Mali's neighbours and international powers fear the political crisis could further destabilise a country that Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have used as a launch pad for attacks across the region.