President Akufo-Addo will today Tuesday, September 15, chair a consultative meeting with members of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS to deliberate on measures to resolve the political crisis in Mali.
The meeting will take place at Peduase in the Eastern Region.
President Akufo-Addo was elected Chairman of the ECOWAS last Monday, September 7, 2020.
At a press briefing in Accra on Sunday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said President Akufo-Addo hopes to reach a consensus aimed at preventing an escalation of the tensions in Mali.
“The consultative meeting being convened by the chair of the authority of Heads of States and Government on the political situation in Mali on September 15, 2020, at Peduase is part of the mediation efforts of ECOWAS to return Mali to constitutional rule and to prevent them from deteriorating further.”
Road closures
Consequently, some roads within Accra would be closed for smooth passage for the heads of states.
The affected roads include:
The Jubilee Lounge (Kotoka International Airport) to the Liberation road at Opeibea, Airport by-pass through the Liberation road
Kempinski Hotel to National Theatre on the Independence Avenue, the Liberation road through to N4 to Peduase.
Liberation road from 37 through Obasanjo Street to Tang Palace Hotel.
Independence Avenue from National theatre to Arko -Adjei.
However, the opposition coalition which led mass protests in Mali ahead of last month’s coup has rejected a transition charter.
On Saturday, the country’s military leadership agreed to establish an 18-month interim government until an election could take place.
It followed three days of talks with opposition and civil society groups.
But the M5-RFP group, which took part in the negotiations, said the resulting document was an attempt by military leaders to “grab and confiscate power”.
It also said the document did not take into account what it said was a majority vote for a civilian interim leader, and “did not reflect the views and decisions of the Malian people”.
West Africa’s regional bloc, Ecowas, had also called for the interim president to be a civilian, but the military leadership says a civilian or a soldier can fill the role.
The interim charter announced by the military leaders also states that an interim legislative body is to be established comprising M5-RFP members.
Mali is struggling with intense Islamist and ethnic violence, as well as a faltering economy.
