Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Mali’ s interim president , Bah Ndaw, chosen to head a transitional government following a coup last month, was sworn in during ceremonies in the capital Bamako on Friday, AFP journalists witnessed.
A committee appointed by the junta which seized power on August 18, toppling president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita , selected Ndaw , a 70- year -old retired colonel , as interim president .
Ndaw is due to lead a transition government for a maximum of 18 months before organising national elections .
Colonel Assimi Goita , who led the military junta, was also sworn in as interim vice president .
The ceremony on Friday took place in a theatre filled with officials dressed in military fatigues , senior judges , and foreign diplomats
.
During the ceremony , Supreme Court Chief Prosecutor Boya Dembele said the challenges facing both men were “ enormous ” .
“ It will truly require a reformulation of the state, ” said the judge, dressed in red fur- lined robes .
The swearing- in comes as the fragile Sahel state’ s neighbours have leaned on the military junta to appoint civilians as interim president and prime minister.
The 15- nation Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS ) slapped sanctions on the poor country on August 20 to push for a swift return to civilian rule .
A decision by the bloc on whether to ease the measure is possible on Friday, according to former Nigerian president and ECOWAS mediator Goodluck Jonathan .
“ We are optimistic that this event will signal the beginning of the return to normalcy in Mali, ” he said on Twitter on Thursday night, referring to the swearing in of interim -government leaders .
Last month’ s coup followed weeks of mass protests against Keita, spurred by frustrations over a brutal jihadist conflict , perceived corruption and the country’ s slumping economy .
Mali has struggled to quell an eight-year – old Islamist insurgency which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives .
AFP
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