Promised draft constitution handed to Mali's Junta leader

12 Oct 2022 08:35

The draft constitution is part of reforms promised by the Malian authorities that seized power in 2021.

Interim President Colonel Assimi Goita (Reuters)

After a 2-month delay, a draft of a new constitution was handed on Tuesday to the head of Mali's Junta, Colonel Assimi Goita. The new draft is part of the reforms announced by the Malian authorities that took power in August 2021 following a military coup.

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ECOWAS suspended Mali's membership in the organization, halted financial and commercial exchanges, and imposed sanctions on members affiliated with the coup, however, the group lifted these sanctions after the junta, led by Colonel Asimi Guetta, appointed a transitional civilian President and Prime Minister and committed to returning power to elected civilians within a maximum period of 18 months.

Malian Transitional President, Fousseyni Samake, commented on the draft, which has not been made public yet, by stressing that "any constitution will be subject to challenges, criticism and controversy."

The coup

In August 2021, Mali's then-transitional President Colonel Assimi Goita ousted the country's elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, following protests over his involvement in corruption and his handling of a jihadist insurgency.

After being pressured by France and Mali's neighbors, Goita pledged the country would return to civilian rule in February 2022 after presidential and legislative elections were held, but he retracted afterward.