AU suspends Mali from continental bloc until restoration of constitutional order

MALI|AFRICAN UNION|POLITICS|MILITARY|KEITA

The African Union (AU) Commission on Wednesday suspended Mali from the pan-African bloc following the forced detention of senior officials, including the country's president and prime minister.

The decision to suspend Mali from AU membership was made by the Peace and Security Council of the AU Commission during its latest meeting that dwelt upon the situation in the western Africa country.

"The Peace and Security Council suspended Mali from the AU until restoration of constitutional order and demands release of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the prime minister and other government officials forcibly detained by the army," the Council announced in a Twitter post on late Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat had "strongly condemned" the forced detention of the President of Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the prime minister and other members of the Malian government and called for their immediate release.

"The Chairperson strongly rejects any attempt at the unconstitutional change of government in Mali and calls on the mutineers to cease all recourse to violence, and calls for the respect of the country's institutions," an AU statement issued on late Tuesday read.

The AU chairperson further called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations and "the entire international community to combine our collective efforts to oppose any use of force as a means to end the political crisis in Mali."

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, currently detained by soldiers in the military camp in Kati, a town close to Bamako, announced late Tuesday night his resignation and the dissolution of the National Assembly and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse's government.

"I have decided to quit my functions, all my functions from this moment ... I declare the dissolution of the National Assembly and the government," Keita said in a brief declaration broadcast by national broadcaster ORTM.

"I wish no blood to be shed to keep me in power," he said, adding that he didn't "hold any hatred" towards anyone.

Leaders of the military coup said Wednesday they would enact a political transition and stage elections within a "reasonable time."

In addition to the AU Commission, the regional bloc ECOWAS, the European Union and the United Nations, along with France, also on Tuesday afternoon condemned the arrest of Keita by the mutinous Malian soldiers and demanded restoration of the constitutional order, affirming that they would not accept an unconstitutional power switch.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also on Tuesday called for an immediate restoration of constitutional order and rule of law in Mali after the country's president was arrested.

For months, the opposition coalition has been organizing demonstrations to demand Keita's resignation, accusing him of being responsible for the worsening security situation in the northern part of the country and Mali's economic recession.