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A forum in Mali to discuss how to restore civilian rule after last month’s military coup entered its final day on Saturday, with several thorny issues to resolve to secure a viable roadmap.
On the table before some 500 delegates from political parties, unions and NGOs is a proposal for an 18-month transitional government, after experts appointed by the ruling military junta initially proposed a two-year period.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States is insisting that Mali’s ruling army officers hand over power within 12 months, fearful that a protracted crisis will affect regional stability.
The talks, which began on Thursday, mark the second round of discussions between the young officials who ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18 and civil representatives, many of whom had campaigned for Keita to resign.
The latest version of the “transition letter” discussed on Saturday appears to shorten the duration of the proposed transition and reduce the role of the military in government.
An earlier version proposed a board-appointed president, as well as a legislative body headed by a military officer.
But the current text stipulates that a committee appointed by the board would appoint the president and that a civilian or a soldier can head the legislative “national transition council”.
The letter, which delegates must decide to adopt on Saturday, also sets the duration of the proposed transitional government at 18 months.
The proposal to shorten the duration of the transition comes as the international community has relied on Mali’s military junta to swiftly hand over power.
While the talks are scheduled to conclude on Saturday, it is unclear whether the forum will bridge divisions on a variety of issues.
Some members of the June 5 Movement (M5), which generated a wave of protests against Keita before the coup, have expressed concern about the army’s hand in electing the president, for example.
“Our wish is that the election of the president of the transition is not made only by the military,” said M5 member Adama Ben Diarra, adding that his group should be part of the committee that appoints the president.
It is unclear if a final version of the transition letter text discussion will be released, or if the board will follow through on its recommendations.
‘Not accountable to anyone’
The coup, Mali’s fourth since gaining independence from France in 1960, came after months of protests, fueled by Keita’s failure to roll back a bloody jihadist insurgency and solve the country’s many economic problems.
Just hours after the coup, the junta promised to restore civilian rule and organize elections within a “reasonable time.”
Military officials had initially spoken of a three-year transition, corresponding to the time remaining in Keita’s second five-year term, which would be overseen by a soldier.
Speaking on Friday, Yeah Samake of the Civic and Patriotic Action Party said he supported a 12-month transitional government.
“Transitional institutions are accountable to no one, so the transition must be short-term,” he said.
Former Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara said during a workshop on Friday that “we can go beyond 12 months.”
“Let us leave the responsibility for the duration (of the transitional government) to the decision makers that we are going to establish,” he said.
