2020 Malian coup d'état explained

Conflict:2020 Malian coup d'état
Place: Mali
Partof:the Mali War, the 2020 Malian protests and the Coup Belt
Result:Coup d'état successful
Combatant1: Government of Mali----Supported by:
France
China
African Union
Combatant2: National Committee for the Salvation of the People
Commander1: Ibrahim Keïta
Boubou Cissé
Commander2: Assimi Goïta
Malick Diaw
Ismaël Wagué[2]
Sadio Camara[3]

On 18 August 2020, elements of the Malian Armed Forces began a mutiny,[4] [5] [6] and subsequently undertook a coup d'état. Soldiers on pick-up trucks stormed the Soundiata military base in the town of Kati, where gunfire was exchanged before weapons were distributed from the armory and senior officers arrested.[7] [8] Tanks and armoured vehicles were seen on the town's streets,[9] as well as military trucks heading for the capital, Bamako. The soldiers detained several government officials including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, who resigned and dissolved the government.[10] This was the country's second coup in less than 10 years, following the 2012 coup d'état.[11] On a subregional level, the coup also marked an end to a period of nearly six years, since the 2014 Burkina Faso uprising and the ousting of Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaoré, during which there was not a single undemocratic change of government in West Africa. For this subregion, where many countries have a history of civil war and violent conflict, this was a period of remarkable stability, during which ECOWAS even managed to find a peaceful resolution to the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis.[12]

Background

See main article: 2020 Malian protests.

Protests in Mali had been ongoing since 5 June, with protesters calling for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.[13] [14] Protesters were displeased with the government's management of the ongoing insurgency, alleged government corruption, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and a floundering economy.[15] Eleven deaths and 124 injuries were reported during the protests.[16]

Coup d'état

On the morning of 18 August 2020, soldiers began firing bullets into the air at a military base in Kati, a town 150NaN0 from Bamako, the capital of Mali. After moving into the capital, the mutineers arrested Minister of Finance Abdoulaye Daffe, the Chief of Staff of the National Guard Mahamane Touré, and Moussa Timbiné, speaker of the National Assembly.[17] The Prime Minister, Boubou Cissé, appealed for dialogue with the mutineers, acknowledging they held "legitimate frustrations".[18] A mutiny leader later claimed that Keïta and Cissé had been arrested at the former's residence in Bamako;[19] [20] African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki confirmed that Keïta, Cissé, and other officials had been arrested and called for their release.[21] A spokesman for the M5-RFP opposition coalition welcomed their detention, describing it as a "popular insurrection".

The officials were taken to the military camp in Kati where the uprising began. As news of the mutiny spread, hundreds of protesters gathered at Bamako's Independence Monument to demand Keïta's resignation.[22] Protesters also set a building belonging to the Ministry of Justice ablaze.

At the time, it was not clear how many soldiers took part in the coup, who initiated it or who would now take charge.[23]

Aftermath

President Keïta resigned around midnight, while also dissolving the government and parliament. "I want no blood to be spilled to keep me in power," he added.[23] Five colonels appeared in the TV broadcast to the nation, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. They called themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. The bodies of four people killed by gunfire and about 15 wounded, all likely hit by stray bullets, were brought into one of the city's main hospitals, said Elhadj Djimé Kanté, a spokesman for the hospital union. The coup leaders denied that anyone had been killed, but soldiers were constantly firing in the air, cheered on by crowds of young people.[24] [25]

Military leaders had ordered closure of all border crossings and imposed a night-time curfew. "As of today, 19 August 2020, all air and land borders are closed until further notice. A curfew is in place from 21:00 to 05:00 until further notice," Col-Major Ismaël Wagué, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Malian Air Force, said in a televised address. He also invited opposition groups to talks for fresh elections.[23]

Opposition member Mahmoud Dicko announced that he is leaving politics as a result of a meeting between him and some of the soldiers that took part in the mutiny.[26]

Coup leaders promised new elections within a "reasonable timeline," without specifying what that meant.[27] [28]

Keïta left the country in September for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Keïta, 75 years old, was originally hospitalised in the capital a few days before leaving.[29] Experts chosen by Mali's new military leaders have proposed a two-year interim government led by a president chosen by them, despite calls by Mali's neighbors for elections within a year. They suggest that the soldiers behind the coup nominate the interim president and vice president and propose the interim president choose the prime minister. Under the draft, the president would be from the civil or military sectors. The nominee must be between the ages of 35 and 75 and would not be allowed to run for election at the end of the transition. Right after the coup, military leaders promised to reinstate a civilian government and hold elections within a relatively short timeframe.[30]

On 12 September 2020, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) agreed to an 18-month political transition to civilian rule.[31]

On 21 September 2020 Bah Ndaw was named interim president by a group of 17 electors, with Goïta being appointed vice president. The government is supposed to preside over an interim period of 18 months.[32] A spokesperson for political-religious leader Mahmoud Dicko praised his nomination as president.[32] Leaders of the M5-RFP, active since the 2020 Malian protests, also signalled support.[33] On 25 September the government was inaugurated.[34]

On 18 January 2021, the transitional government announced that the CNSP had been disbanded. Although the initial agreement in September 2020 had stated that the CNSP junta would be dissolved as soon as the transitional government came to power, this had not yet taken place.[35]

International reaction

Representatives of several countries condemned the coup, as did representatives of the African Union,[36] European Union,[37] and United Nations.[38] Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, a country which has been involved in fighting an Islamist insurgency in its former colony since 2013, called for power to be returned to civilians and for arrested leaders to be freed.[39] The United States cut off military aid to Mali on 21 August 2020.[40]

The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution condemning the coup and calling on the soldiers to return to their barracks and release all detainees without delay.[41] Amnesty International also called for the release of the detainees.[42] The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Mali[43] and called on neighbouring states to close their land and air borders.[44]

On 25 August 2020, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie suspended Mali from membership and called for the immediate release of Keïta.[45]

On 7 September 2020 at a summit in Niamey, Niger, regional bloc ECOWAS gave the Malian military rulers a deadline of 15 September to appoint a new civilian President and Prime Minister.[46]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Mali colonel Assimi Goita declares himself junta leader as opposition pledges support . 24 August 2020 . France 24 . 19 August 2020 .
  2. News: Mali Coup Soldiers Take to Airwaves, Promise Elections . 19 August 2020 . The New York Times . . 19 August 2020 . 23 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014902/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/08/19/world/africa/ap-af-mali-crisis.html . dead .
  3. Web site: Why Mali's coup is cheered at home but upsets neighbours . BBC News . 21 August 2020 . 21 August 2020 . 21 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200821112314/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53848223 . live .
  4. Web site: 2020-10-21. Does Mali risk another coup?. 2021-02-09. International Insider. en-GB. 5 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210305095928/https://internationalinsider.org/does-mali-risk-another-coup/. dead.
  5. Web site: Gunfire heard at Mali army base, warnings of possible mutiny. 18 August 2020. www.aljazeera.com. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818190249/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/gunfire-heard-mali-army-base-warnings-mutiny-200818111723901.html. live.
  6. News: Mali coup: Military promises elections after ousting president . 19 August 2020 . . 19 August 2020 . 19 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819181937/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53833925 . live .
  7. Web site: Welle (www.dw.com). Deutsche. Possible coup underway in Mali DW 18 August 2020. 18 August 2020. DW.COM. en-GB. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818210130/https://www.dw.com/en/mali-president-prime-minister-detained-by-mutinous-soldiers/a-54608009/. live.
  8. News: 18 August 2020. Mali: Gunfire heard at Kati military camp near Bamako. en-US. The Africa Report.com. 18 August 2020. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818190254/https://www.theafricareport.com/38039/mali-gunfire-heard-at-kati-military-camp-near-bamako/. live.
  9. Web site: 18 August 2020. Mali soldiers detain senior officers in apparent mutiny. 18 August 2020. AP NEWS. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818190257/https://apnews.com/54737684e3e2a84f9b44656de7343e56. live.
  10. News: 19 August 2020. Mali president resigns after detention by military, deepening crisis. en. Reuters. 19 August 2020. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818193052/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-security-idUSKCN25E1AF. live.
  11. News: Mali celebrates after president's ouster – but there are few 'good coups' . The Conversation . 28 August 2020.
  12. Web site: Ecowas' dilemma: Balancing principles and pragmatism - The Nordic Africa Institute NAI Policy Note 2024:1 . 2024-04-11 . nai.uu.se . en.
  13. News: Maclean. Ruth. 16 July 2020. Anger at Mali's President Rises After Security Forces Kill Protesters. The New York Times. 17 July 2020. 0362-4331. 28 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200728065921/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/world/africa/mali-protesters-killed-keita.html. live.
  14. Web site: Mali opposition leaders freed after days of anti-gov't protests. 17 July 2020. www.aljazeera.com. 10 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810030618/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/mali-opposition-leaders-freed-days-anti-gov-protests-200714065503441.html. live.
  15. News: 18 August 2020. Factbox: Why Mali is in turmoil again. en. Reuters. 18 August 2020. 19 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200819135354/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mali-politics-protests-factbox-idUKKCN25E1LA. live.
  16. News: Calls for calm as Mali gov't criticised for response to protests . 13 July 2020 . . Bloody protests broke out in the capital, Bamako, on Friday and Saturday, with reports saying security forces fired live rounds during clashes with demonstrators, some of whom had occupied state buildings. [...] A senior official at an emergency department of a major hospital in Bamako was quoted by AFP news agency as saying 11 people died and 124 were injured since Friday. . 18 August 2020 . 10 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810030620/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/calls-calm-mali-gov-criticised-response-protests-200713092657817.html . live .
  17. News: Tih. Felix. 18 August 2020. Gunshots heard at military camp near Mali capital. Anadolu Agency. live. 18 August 2020. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818210426/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/malis-president-premier-arrested-by-mutinying-soldiers/1945667.
  18. News: 18 August 2020. Mutinying soldiers say they have detained Mali's President Keita, Prime Minister Cisse. France24. 18 August 2020. 19 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200819020517/https://www.france24.com/en/20200818-ecowas-calls-on-mali-soldiers-to-end-the-mutiny. live.
  19. Web site: 18 August 2020. Soldiers take up arms as Mali crisis deepens. live. 18 August 2020. Al Jazeera. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818210142/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/soldiers-arms-mali-crisis-deepens-live-updates-200818124326841.html/.
  20. News: Kelly . Jeremy . Mali PM and president under arrest, claim army mutineers . 18 August 2020 . . 18 August 2020 . 19 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819142149/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mali-pm-and-president-under-arrest-claim-army-mutineers-nf6x5qv0b . live .
  21. Web site: Maclean . Ruth . Mali's President and Prime Minister Arrested in Military Coup . The New York Times . 18 August 2020 . 18 August 2020 . 18 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200818221021/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/world/africa/mali-mutiny-coup.html . live .
  22. News: 18 August 2020. Mali president 'seized by mutinying soldiers'. en-GB. BBC News. 18 August 2020. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818210145/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53825673/. live.
  23. News: 19 August 2020. Mali's president resigns and dissolves parliament. en-GB. BBC News. 19 August 2020. 19 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200819050422/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53830348. live.
  24. News: Maclean. Ruth. Peltier. Elian. 19 August 2020. Mali Coup Leaders Pledge Democracy After Deposing President. en-US. The New York Times. 19 August 2020. 0362-4331. 19 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200819161633/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/world/africa/mali-military-coup.html. live.
  25. Web site: Mali Rebels Choose Col. Assimi Goita As Leader - Reports. 19 August 2020. UrduPoint. en. 23 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014902/https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/mali-rebels-choose-col-assimi-goita-as-leade-1006200.html. live.
  26. News: 19 August 2020. After meeting Mali mutineers, protest leader Dicko to step back from politics. en. Reuters. 20 August 2020. 22 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200822021856/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-security-dicko-idUSKCN25F2LA. live.
  27. Web site: Mali Coup Leaders Promise New Election . allAfrica.com . 20 August 2020 . en . 18 August 2020 . 23 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014903/https://allafrica.com/view/group/main/main/id/00074425.html . live .
  28. Web site: Mali: Coup Leaders Promise New Elections As Detained Keita Steps Down . allAfrica.com . Radio France Internationale . 20 August 2020 . en . 19 August 2020 . 23 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014903/https://allafrica.com/stories/202008190336.html . live .
  29. News: Former Mali President Keita leaves country amid transition talks. Al Jazeera . September 6, 2020.
  30. News: Mali experts propose 2-year transition, president picked by army. Al Jazeera . September 11, 2020.
  31. Web site: Postmaster . Sortie de crise : une transition de 18 mois adoptée par acclamation – MALI CANAL . www.malicanal.com . MaliCanal . September 12, 2020 . fr-FR . September 12, 2020.
  32. Web site: Bah Ndaw named Mali's interim president, colonel named VP . https://web.archive.org/web/20200922081447/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/09/ba-named-mali-interim-president-colonel-named-vp-200921145418103.html . Al Jazeera . 21 September 2020 . 22 September 2020. live.
  33. Web site: Paul Myers . Ex-Malian defence minister named interim president, junta leader as deputy . https://web.archive.org/web/20200922082500/https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20200921-bah-ndaw-installed-as-mali-s-interim-president . RFI . 21 September 2020 . 22 September 2020.
  34. Web site: Mayeni Jones . Mali coup: Bah Ndaw sworn in as civilian leader . https://web.archive.org/web/20200925170304/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54292919 . BBC News . 25 September 2020 . 25 September 2020.
  35. Web site: 2021-01-28. Mali: President Bah N'Daw decrees the dissolution of the CNSP. 2021-02-02. The Africa Report.com. en-US.
  36. News: 18 August 2020. Mali PM also detained by mutinying soldiers, African Union condemns. en. Reuters. 18 August 2020. 20 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131725/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mali-security-au-idUKKCN25E2KQ/. live.
  37. News: 18 August 2020. Mali: Déclaration du Haut-Représentant/Vice-President Josep Borrell sur la tentative de coup d'Etat en cours. fr. European Union. 18 August 2020. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818222556/https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/84191/mali-d%C3%A9claration-du-haut-repr%C3%A9sentantvice-president-josep-borrell-sur-la-tentative-de-coup-d_fr. live.
  38. News: 18 August 2020. UN chief demands 'immediate and unconditional release' of President, cabinet members. en. UN news. 18 August 2020. 20 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131731/https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/08/1070492/. live.
  39. News: . African Union suspends Mali's membership as international community condemns coup . France 24 . Paris . 19 August 2020 . 22 August 2020 . 20 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200820032416/https://www.france24.com/en/20200819-mali-coup-leaders-face-international-condemnation-au-suspends-membership . live .
  40. Web site: U.S. halts military cooperation in Mali . news.yahoo.com . 22 August 2020 . Reuters . 22 August 2020 . 23 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200823014904/https://news.yahoo.com/u-halts-military-cooperation-mali-131810007.html . live .
  41. News: Nichols . Michelle . Nomiyama . Chizu . U.N. Security Council condemns mutiny in Mali, urges soldiers return to barracks . 19 August 2020 . . 19 August 2020 . 20 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131733/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-security-un/u-n-security-council-condemns-mutiny-in-mali-urges-soldiers-return-to-barracks-idUSKCN25F2FY?il=0%2F . live .
  42. Web site: Mali: Military authorities must end arbitrary arrests and ensure the investigation of unlawful killing of four people. 19 August 2020. www.amnesty.org. 19 August 2020. en. 20 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131743/https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/08/mali-military-authorities-must-end-arbitrary-arrests-and-ensure//. live.
  43. Web site: Mali President Resigns After Military Mutiny, Dissolves Parliament . allAfrica.com . DW News . 20 August 2020 . en . 19 August 2020 . 20 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131747/https://allafrica.com/stories/202008190094.html/ . live .
  44. Web site: Opurum . Kingsley . West Africa: Ecowas Suspends Mali, Asks Member States to Close Borders . allAfrica.com . Leadership (Abuja) . 20 August 2020 . en . 20 August 2020 . 20 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200820131751/https://allafrica.com/stories/202008200062.html/ . live .
  45. News: . International Francophone Organisation suspends Mali's membership over coup . . Paris . 26 August 2020. 27 August 2020.
  46. Web site: Africa leaders: Mali military gov't must name president by Sep 15 . Al Jazeera . 7 September 2020 .

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