Ecowas says Mali’s ousted president must be reinstated

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West African leaders have demanded that their ousted colleague, the president of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, be reinstated immediately.

They held a video summit, chaired by the president of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou and took the decision.

The regional bloc is expected to send envoys to Mali ensure the return of constitutional order.

Soldiers who toppled Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta held meetings with the opposition on Wednesday.

They promised to set up a civilian transitional government and hold new elections.

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President Keïta resigned on Tuesday night after the coup, saying he did not want” blood to be spilled to keep me in power”.

The African Union, the UN and ECOWAS have all condemned the coup and have voted to suspend Mali.

But the spokesman for the soldiers has given the assurance that they will return the country to democratic rule soon.

The National Committee for the Salvation of the People, said they did not want to stay in power.

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A televised statement read on behalf of the Committee urged Mali’s civil and political groups to help create a “political transition leading to credible general elections for the exercise.

“We are keen on the stability of the country, which will allow us to organize general elections to allow Mali to equip itself with strong institutions within the reasonable time limit,” said the group’s spokesman, Col Ismaël Wagué, the air force deputy chief of staff.

Mali has experienced several military takeover and a wave of jihadist attacks.

There have been months of protests from citizens who demanded that the ousted President Keita resigns for failing to solve many of the country’s problems.

The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency session to discuss the latest developments.