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| Mali president puts final touches on unity government | |
| 2012-07-31 | |
| BAMAKO: Mali's interim president put the final touches on a unity government yesterday, the eve of a deadline set by foreign partners, taking the lead in negotiations after sidelining his unpopular premier. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given Mali's interim authorities until July 31 to form the unity government, expected to be better able to deal with the occupation of the north by rebels. Interim President Dioncounda Traore got straight to work upon his return to Bamako following two months in Paris recovering from an attack by opponents, announcing on Sunday the creation of new bodies tasked with ending the crisis. In a televised address to the nation, he announced he would be in charge of a High Council of State, lead talks for a unity government himself and create a committee to negotiate with the militants controlling Mali's north. Some observers saw the announcements as a sign Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra was being pushed aside, after key political parties called for his resignation, accusing him of "incompetence and amateurishness". The High Council of State will be made up of the interim president and two vice-presidents, one of whom will be in charge of defense and security and handling the four-month-old crisis in the north. The other will represent the various non-political forces in Mali. Traore also announced that "neither the president, nor the prime minister, nor the ministers, can run in the next presidential election."
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| Posted by:Steve White |