Col Bah Ndaw (Left) was named as interim president, and Moctar Ouane as prime minister
BAMAKO, Oct 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The West African regional group – Ecowas – has lifted sanctions imposed on Mali following a coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August.
This comes after military authorities formed a transitional government comprising of army officials and civilians.
“Taking into account the notable progress made towards a constitutional normalisation, and the support the process, the heads of states have decided to lift the sanctions on Mali, and called on partners to support Mali,” Ecowas said in a statement.
Mali’s transitional leaders announced a new government on Monday, with some of the top posts going to military officials.
Col Bah Ndaw, a former foreign minister and retired colonel, was named as interim president, and Moctar Ouane as prime minister.
Coup leader, Colonel Assimi Goita officially holds the post of interim vice-president.
At least four central cabinet posts — defence, security, territorial administration and national reconciliation — went to colonels in the army, according to a decree read live on state television by the president’s secretary-general Sekou Traore.
But civilians were also appointed, including former prosecutor Mohamed Sidda Dicko as justice minister and former ambassador Zeini Moulaye as foreign affairs minister.
The coup came after months of protests over the country’s bloody jihadist insurgency, economic struggles and chronic inter-ethnic violence. — NNN-AGENCIES
