Mali Could Hold Elections In July 2013 - President Traoré
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/02/mali-could-hold-elections-in-july-2013.html
While attending the recent African Union summit in Ethiopia, Mali’s interim president Dioncounda Traoré suggested that the country could organise a general election in July this year.
But this timetable is subject to many things, top being the outcome of the joint Franco-Malian military assault against separatist Islamists in the north of the country.
Besides, Mali’s parliament prefers an exhaustive debate of the political roadmap for the transition before the elections are called. Political parties have demanded meetings with the government to clarify on the political calendar.
Kassoum Tapo, a member of the Parliament, has suggested that the government wait until 2014 to organise the elections. But the UN appears to be working on a more urgent timetable.
Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who is the UN special envoy for the Sahel, has urged the Malian government to start preparing electoral lists "right now", according to an interview this week in the French daily La Croix.
The question of negotiations with the northern Islamists is another pending matter.
Few days ago, there was a split in their ranks when the Islamic Movement of Azawad (MIA) broke away from the hardline Ansar Dine group. Together with the Tuareg-dominated National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the MIA is now campaigning to hold direct peace talks with the Mali government.
Paris is encouraging such negotiations as long as they keep out the hard core Ansar Dine, which the French regard as a terror group.
Besides, Mali’s parliament prefers an exhaustive debate of the political roadmap for the transition before the elections are called. Political parties have demanded meetings with the government to clarify on the political calendar.
Kassoum Tapo, a member of the Parliament, has suggested that the government wait until 2014 to organise the elections. But the UN appears to be working on a more urgent timetable.
Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who is the UN special envoy for the Sahel, has urged the Malian government to start preparing electoral lists "right now", according to an interview this week in the French daily La Croix.
The question of negotiations with the northern Islamists is another pending matter.
Few days ago, there was a split in their ranks when the Islamic Movement of Azawad (MIA) broke away from the hardline Ansar Dine group. Together with the Tuareg-dominated National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the MIA is now campaigning to hold direct peace talks with the Mali government.
Paris is encouraging such negotiations as long as they keep out the hard core Ansar Dine, which the French regard as a terror group.
