APA – Bamako (Mali) – This is General Modi’s second visit to Mali in less than six months.
General Salifou Modi, number two in the military junta that has been in power in Niger since 26 July, paid came to Bamako on Wednesday 2 August. He was received in audience by the President of the Transition in Mali, Colonel Assimi Goita. This is the first trip outside the country by an official of the Niger military junta grouped around the “Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie” (National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland, CNSP).
At the end of the meeting, General Salifou Modi said that he had brought a message from the head of the junta, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, to the President of Mali’s transitional government, Colonel Assimi Goita.
He also thanked the Malian authorities “for their support and accompaniment since the CNSP took power.”
He also pointed out that this visit was taking place in a complex regional environment, requiring a high level of “political consultation to ensure stability and safeguard the interests of our people.”
He also took the opportunity to discuss “ways and means of strengthening security cooperation, at a time when certain countries are considering military intervention in our country.”
This visit comes at a time when a delegation from ECOWAS was in Niamey for talks with the military who have taken power to restore constitutional order and reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum to his post.
At its summit last Sunday, ECOWAS gave the Niger junta one week to re-establish constitutional order, but did not rule out military intervention. As the deadline approached, the Chiefs of Staff of the regional organization met in Abuja, no doubt to consider the implementation of this option.
In the wake of the sanctions and threats formulated by the Heads of State of ECOWAS in a joint declaration, Bamako and Ouagadougou have indicated that they will not apply this measure and will help Niamey
in the event of military intervention, which they consider to be “a declaration of war.” Better still, these two countries, which are also led by military officers, have also threatened to withdraw from ECOWAS
if the threat of military intervention is carried out.
The No. 2 in the Niger junta was already in Bamako last March, where he was received by the President of the Malian Transition. It was following this visit that he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. He was then replaced at the head of Niger’s Military Staff (CEMA) last April by Major General Abdou Sidikou Issa. Some
interpreted this decision as a punishment.
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