New prime minister appointed in Mali

By Aurore Bonny

LOME, Togo (AA) - Assimi Goita, the president of the Malian transition government, appointed Choguel Kokala Maiga as prime minister of the transition via a presidential decree relayed by local media.

Maiga is chairman of the strategic committee of the June 5 Movement, Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP), the protest group that participated in the overthrow of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last August.

His appointment follows the resignation of Moctar Ouane on May 26 after a military coup.

He "will have the task of conducting a broad consultation between the different groups with a view to setting up a government of consensus and inclusion," Goita said last week during a meeting with political parties to designate a new prime minister.

Goita had expressed his desire for a representative from the M5-RFP to fill the post.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided Sunday to suspend Mali from the bloc until the end of February 2022, when transitional authorities are supposed to hand over to a democratically elected government.

The West African bloc also demanded the appointment of a civilian prime minister.

The move is the consequence of the coup last week that was conducted by Goita against former president of the transition Bah N'Daw.