United Nations Security Council chambers at UN world headquarters in New York

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  – NEW  YORK –  The UN Security Council will convene an emergency meeting today to discuss the current political crisis in Mali.  On Wednesday,  Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta  resigned after a military mutiny that has plunged the west African nation in to political chaos.    President Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé were apparently arrested and taken to a military camp near the capital Bamako. The emergency UN Security Council session was requested by France and Niger and will take place behind closed doors this afternoon 3:00 p.m. EST.  Anti-government protesters have been holding massive protests calling on President Keïta to resign during the past months. Protestersaccused Keïta of stealing a parliamentary election in March and installing his own candidates .  Last month, Mali’s opposition rejected an ECOWAS call to joint a unity government to end the political crisis. The opposition is distrustful of ECOWAS ability to end the crisis allowing them meaningful influence in the government.  Opposition blames Keita for failing to tackle corruption, an economy on the brink of collapse amid COVID-19, and the country’s eight-year-long jihadist conflict. Last month, the U.N. Human Rights Office called calling for an investigation into use of deadly violence by an elite counter-terrorism force in Mali against anti-government protestors leaving 14 persons killed.  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for the immediate restoration of constitutional order and the rule of law in Mali.   The UN maintains its Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) peace keeping force  with 13,289 military personnel and 1,920 police personnel. 

How was this coup even possible in a country that has military forces from the UN, France and the regional G5 forces already present?

🇲🇱 MALI COUP: A military junta promised to organize new elections amid international condemnation after forcing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign https://t.co/5Fg8SNB5qJ pic.twitter.com/ii78hZMrDW

— Bloomberg QuickTake (@QuickTake) August 19, 2020

ECOWAS  Condemns  Mali Coup – Imposes Sanctions on Military Leaders

ECOWAS, AU, USA and France have all condemned the coup in Mali. Russia and Canada have expressed concerns.

ECOWAS has imposed sanctions of the masterminds of the coup, Colonel Malick Diaw, Colonel Sadio Camara, Brigadier General Cheick Fanta Mady Dembele. pic.twitter.com/kWJP0MwoPE

— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) August 19, 2020

The members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  strongly condemned the toppling of the MALI government and rejected the legitimacy of those attempting the coup. (ECOWAS) has shut down all their land and air borders with Mali after its president announced his resignation following a military mutiny. ECOWAS said in a statement that they will also halt trade relations with Mali and pledged to demand sanctions against “all the putschists and their partners and collaborators”.

pic.twitter.com/O2lWmTZsMh

— ECOWAS-CEDEAO (@ecowas_cedeao) August 18, 2020

Reaction on Social Media to MALI Situation:

Mali is neither for France nor for ECOWAS, Mali belongs to the Malian peoples.
Long live the forces of the Malian Order @MaziNnamdiKanu pic.twitter.com/iY62tgf2ij

— chukwunoso okolieukwu Biafra (@chukwunosookol1) August 18, 2020