Former president Olusegun
Obasanjo has warned that the current political crisis in Mali could affect
Nigeria if care is not taken to end the uprising.
In an article he wrote on
Thursday, Obasanjo said the crisis also poses grave security risks to West
African countries particularly Senegal, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.
Mali has been hit by an uprising
following a protest movement seeking the resignation of President Ibrahim
Boubacar Keita over allegations of corruption and incompetence.
Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan is
currently in the country as ECOWAS envoy to lead regional efforts in mediating
in the turmoil that has reportedly led to the death of 11 people.
Obasanjo said the protest is
different from previous ones because in addition to having the support of a
wide range of actors notably political actors, civil society organisations and
some security agencies, it also has the backing of a vast majority of the
population.
“The current political turmoil in
Mali is of grave concern considering the multidimensional impact of an
escalation of the political impasse on about 19 million citizens and what a
destabilized Mali will mean to West Africa,” he said in the article.
“The consequences will
reverberate across the whole West Africa region, with the safety and security
of Senegal, Burkina Faso and Niger directly at risk. If those countries
stumble, the effects will ripple across coastal states such as Cote d’Ivoire,
Ghana, Togo, Benin and Guinea. It will
reverberate even to Nigeria.
“Mali is the levee that if
breached, will create a wave of insecurity throughout Africa’s western region.”
He said for the crisis to be
resolved, three things need to be done, first of which is negotiating a
compromise to bring the protests to an end and immediate relief to the country
“which will not compromise democracy, security and human rights”.
“Second, ensure the
implementation of the Peace Accord in collaboration with other stakeholders
crucial to peace and where necessary make needed adjustments to meet new
realities through inclusive consultation with all stakeholders,” he said.
“This will foster inclusivity in
conflict resolution governance and decision-making which has been at the core
of the tensions in Mali.
“Finally, the actors and process
must acknowledge the influence of geo and international politics in Mali and
ensure the cooperation and commitment of the key external players to ensuring
peace, stability and growth for the people of Mali.”
He, however, added that it will
ultimately take the goodwill and patriotism of the people of Mali to resolve
the impasse and “this is why political leaders and the elite must be willing to
make compromises to find workable and lasting solutions”.
Here is the article in full.
ENSURING INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND
STABILITY IN MALI
Recent developments in Mali have
brought international attention back to the lingering challenges of instability
and distrust since the signing of Algiers Peace Accord in 2015. On 5th and 19th
of June, thousands of people protested in the streets, demanding, among other
things, the resignation of the President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (IBK). These
protests were triggered by discontent about persistent allegations of
corruption and incompetence of the IBK administration; slow progress in
addressing insecurity in North and Central Mali, poverty and unemployment; and
the recent controversy with the results of the April legislative elections.
This is not the first protest of
this nature in Mali, but this time it is different for two reasons. First, in
addition to Imam Dicko who is not a new actor to the scene in Mali, the
protests have the support of a wide range of actors notably trade unions,
political actors (including the main opposition party whose leader Soumaila
Cisse, kidnapped in March 2020, is still missing), civil society organizations
and some members of the security sector, including the police, who have
publicly criticized the government for mismanaging security resources. Second,
and most importantly, the protests have the support and participation of a vast
majority of the population, especially the youth, with over 70% expressing
dissatisfaction with IBK’s mandate, as a recent poll by Inferentielle Opinion
Research indicates. This suggests wide-spread dissatisfaction with the
trajectory in Mali which should worry the political leadership in Mali and the
international community [who endorsed and have supported the implementation of
the Peace Accord].
The current political turmoil in
Mali is of grave concern considering the multidimensional impact of an
escalation of the political impasse on about 19 million citizens and what a
destabilized Mali will mean to West Africa. The consequences will reverberate
across the whole West Africa region, with the safety and security of Senegal,
Burkina Faso and Niger directly at risk. If those countries stumble, the
effects will ripple across coastal states such as Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo,
Benin and Guinea. It will reverberate
even to Nigeria. Mali is the levee that if breached, will create a wave of
insecurity throughout Africa’s western region.
Three things must be addressed
urgently. First, negotiate a compromise to bring the protests to an end and
immediate relief to the country which will not compromise democracy, security
and human rights. I am encouraged that IBK and his political coalition, on one
side and Imam Mahmoud Dicko and the M5-RFP on the other side have shown
openness to dialogue and continue to interact with diplomats and mediators including
the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Second, ensure the implementation of the Peace Accord in collaboration with
other stakeholders crucial to peace and where necessary make needed adjustments
to meet new realities through inclusive consultation with all stakeholders.
This will foster inclusivity in conflict resolution governance and
decision-making which has been at the core of the tensions in Mali. Finally,
the actors and process must acknowledge the influence of geo and international
politics in Mali and ensure the cooperation and commitment of the key external
players to ensuring peace, stability and growth for the people of Mali.
While the world is distracted by
Covid19, Africa must lead this process through our regional and pan African
institutions and leaders, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the UN
Office for West Africa and Sahel through Dr. Ibn Chambas and the world should
support these efforts. Ultimately, it will take the goodwill and patriotism of
the people of Mali to resolve this impasse and this is why political leaders
and the elite must be willing to make compromises to find workable and lasting
solutions.
Peace and good governance in Mali
will promote the establishment of a secular, democratic and economically stable
country. While promoting security is
key, it must not be done at the total expense of democracy and human rights. I
believe the separation between state and religion must be protected at all
times to ensure inclusive participation of all in the rebuilding of Mali. Mali
must address corruption not just from a law and order perspective but as a
collective aspiration of the people to enthrone accountability, responsiveness,
and inclusive development. Ending the
human suffering and the economic hardship requires an urgent and holistic
regional response to the prevailing situation in the country. 2020 is the year
the AU declared the period of ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa’, and expectations
are high. Let the silencing start with Mali with solutions that put the welfare
of Mali’s citizens above any other political or non-political consideration.
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