Cote d’Ivoire has called for an extraordinary meeting of ECOWAS heads of state and government to examine the crisis with Mali with a view to releasing its soldiers.
The Ivorian government spokesman, Amadou Coulibaly, said after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting that “Cote d’Ivoire had seized ECOWAS for an extraordinary meeting of heads of state (of the organization) on the situation” of 46 Ivorian soldiers still detained in Mali.
During a meeting of the National Security Council held today at the presidential palace, the head of state Alassane Ouattara officially instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to “refer the matter to the ECOWAS Commission,” a move aimed at achieving the release of the 46 soldiers “as soon as possible.”
Malian justice charged the 49 Ivorian soldiers detained in Bamako on August 15, 2022 for attempting to undermine state security. After contacts with Malian officials, three Ivorian soldiers were released and returned to Cote d’Ivoire on September 3.
“On September 9, 2022, while it was agreed that the 46 other soldiers, whose arrest was considered by Mali as a judicial matter, would be released soon, the Malian authorities requested that in return for the release of these 46 soldiers, Cote d’Ivoire extradite to Mali personalities who, according to Bamako, benefit from the protection of Cote d’Ivoire in order to destabilise Mali,” the statement of the National Security Council reads.
For Abidjan, this request confirms once again that its soldiers “are in no way mercenaries but rather hostages.” The National Security Council chaired by President Alassane Ouattara considered this “unacceptable blackmail and demands the release without delay” of the 46 detained soldiers.
The National Security Council recalled that foreign political opponents living in Cote d’Ivoire are required by Ivorian law to “observe in all circumstances a duty of absolute reserve concerning the internal affairs of their country of origin.”
Forty-nine (49) Ivorian soldiers were arrested on July 10, 2022 in Bamako. Three female soldiers were later released on “humanitarian” grounds. Cote d’Ivoire claimed that they were all deployed to Mali as the 8th detachment of the national support element within the MINUSMA.
AP/lb/abj/APA