Addis Ababa, 11 December 2012: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has been closely following the successive developments that took place today in Mali. In this context, the Commission held consultations with various international actors, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations.

The Chairperson of the Commission welcomes the appointment by the Interim President of the Republic of Mali, Mr. Dioncounda Traoré, of a new Prime Minister in the person of Mr. Django Cissoko, who was until now Ombudsman.

The Chairperson of the Commission looks forward to the early establishment of an inclusive and focused Government capable of carrying out the two essential tasks of the Transition, namely the full restoration of State authority throughout the national territory and the organization of free, transparent and credible elections. In this regard, she calls on the Malians to close ranks around the fundamental issues of the day, and stresses the importance of good preparation and the holding, in the required conditions of inclusiveness, of the envisaged national consultations towards the development of a roadmap to guide the management of the Transition.

In light of the events that occurred earlier, the Chairperson of the Commission strongly condemns the conditions under which the outgoing Prime Minister, Cheick Modibo Diarra, resigned. She recalls the requirement of complete subordination of the army and security forces to civilian authority, and the determination of the AU to ensure strict compliance with constitutional legality.

The Chairperson of the Commission reiterates the commitment of the AU to support Mali in overcoming the challenges it faces on the basis of the relevant decisions of the Peace and Security Council, which will meet on Thursday, in Addis Ababa, to review the situation and the evolution of the ongoing efforts on the various aspects of the crisis in Mali, including the requests submitted by the AU to the United Nations Security Council.

COMMENTS