The West African delegation that arrived in Bamako on Saturday (August 22) made a “ good impression ” on the junta officials, who said they were “ open ” to continuing discussions, a source close to the coup leaders told AFP.
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“ This is an official first contact meeting. There will be others, not necessarily in the media, but already, we have a good impression of this ECOWAS mission , ”said this source after the meeting between the junta and the delegation of the African Community of States. of the West (ECOWAS) led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. “ We have understood that heads of state, like the Ivorian Alassane Ouattara, are working for a relaxation, for a peaceful solution, even if they have firmly condemned our seizure of power. We are open to discussions, ”added this source.
The meeting, in the presence of the country's new strongman, Colonel Assimi Goïta, took place at the Ministry of Defense. It lasted about half an hour. The delegates must then meet with civil and military personalities arrested by the junta, including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, forced to announce his resignation on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday and since then in the hands of the military.
A hotel as headquarters
After the meeting at the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Malick Diaw, n ° 2 of the “ National Committee for the Salvation of the People ” (CNSP), the body set up by the junta, and the military spokesman, Ismaël Wagué, then went to the Salam hotel in Bamako, transformed into the headquarters of ECOWAS.
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Arrived with a praetorian guard, they rushed into a corridor, noted an AFP journalist. While hotel establishments have been deserted due to the coronavirus, the socio-political crisis that has shaken Mali for three months and the coup d'état on Tuesday, the Samal hotel was on the contrary buzzing with activity on Saturday.
Members of Malian civil society, religious and party representatives flock there to try to meet a member of the delegation or to submit a “ contribution ” to help resolve the crisis.
The Association for the Fight against Corruption in Mali, for example, submitted a document to this effect to ECOWAS.
The hotel, near the Niger River and the ministries, is strongly guarded by the Malian security forces, while UN peacekeepers ensure the security of the ECOWAS delegation.