Talks in Mali between military coup leaders and West African mediators aimed at resolving the political situation in the country after last week’s coup have ended without agreement, reported Reuters.
The Monday meeting ended after three days of discussions without any decision on the make-up of a transitional government in Mali.
The West African leaders failed to convince Mali’s military leaders to reinstate the deposed President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The ousted president faced huge street protests since last few months. Last week, the people of Mali came out on the streets of the capital, Bamako, in large numbers to celebrate the coup.
According to Reuters, Mali’s military spokesman Col Ismael Wague said as the talks have ended, the final decision on any interim administration would be made by Malians.
He said the mediation team, led by Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, would report to regional heads of state ahead of a summit on Mali this week. He said that the final decision on the interim administration would, however, be decided locally.
“Nothing has been decided. Everyone has given their point of view,” Wague told reporters. “The final decision of the structure of the transition will be made by us Malians here.”
Former Nigerian President Jonathan said they requested and were granted access to Keita.
“President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita told us that he has resigned. That he was not forced to do so. That he does not want to return to politics and that he wants a quick transition to allow the country to return to civilian rule,” Jonathan told reporters.
The talks were held with the threat of regional sanctions hanging over the junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP).
Wague said the mediators will discuss with the heads of state to lift or at least ease the sanctions as the sanctions are not good for the people of Mali.
