Mali has been faced with civil strife since June 2020, which emerged from disputed legislative elections that were held in March and April. Protestors are angry at what they see as President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta’s (IBK) poor handling of the economy, as well as failures to address insecurity and corruption in the country.
This overall frustration has forged an unlikely coalition in Mali. The ‘June 5 movement’ – the day of widespread protests in the capital – is a heterogeneous coalition, comprising of political parties and civil society and is led by the charismatic Imam, Mahmoud Dicko. The movement has managed to mobilize and bring together citizens and politicians frustrated by the failures of the Malian state
But the crisis in Mali also has wider implications for West Africa. The security implications of any breakdown (or further breakdown) of law and order is a major concern for Mali’s neighbors. For instance, the risk of insurgency spreading to more states beyond like Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria are real. Not to mention the growing risks of arms proliferation.
ECOWAS, the regional decision-making body, has appointed Nigeria's former president Goodluck Jonathan to act as a mediator between the government and the protestors led by Imam Dicko. Last week, five current West African leaders – representing Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal - touched down in Bamako in an effort to instigate a dialogue. But so far proposals, which have included opening discussions about power-sharing and a reconstitution of the constitutional courts, have failed to make notable progress.
The ECOWAS mediation effort needs to reconsider its composition. An engagement led by serving and former leaders with no civil society actors, women or youth lacks legitimacy in the eyes of many opposition figures in Mali. Such interventions are instead viewed merely as a group of leaders looking after one of their own. Statements, like the one made by Nigerien President Issoufou, who is also the current ECOWAS chair, that Keita’s departure is out of the question, that it would go against the regional blocs own protocol on democracy and good governance - which opposes an unconstitutional change of power – further contribute to this perception.
A letter endorsed by over a hundred civil society organizations in West Africa, addressed to President Issoufou, has called on ECOWAS to prioritize efforts to engage in Mali with all stakeholders. This must include civil society organizations comprising youth and women's groups, as well as religious organizations representing all faiths; traditional authorities representing all community groupings; and security sector and political actors that span the ideological divide. ECOWAS must also prevail on the Malian government to refrain from any further violence against protesters and to hold accountable officials involved in such attacks.
The current impasse in Mali must not be allowed to linger or otherwise worsen. ECOWAS has a key role to play in ensuring that dialogue brings a peaceful and workable solution — not just for Malians but for the entire region. In order to do so, however, ECOWAS leaders must be willing to listen to and include the voices ordinary Malians. Incorporating their views into any agreement will be critical for its credibility and long-term feasability.
Idayat Hassan is director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), an Abuja based policy advocacy and research organization with a focus on deepening democracy and development in West Africa.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Vanguard Africa or the Vanguard Africa Foundation.