Mali-Ivory Coast crisis: three presidents will meet Assimi Goïta for the release of 46 Ivorian soldiers

The current president of the African Union, Macky Sall, the Ghanaian presidents Nana Akufo-Addo and the Togolese presidents Faure Gnassingbé will go to Mali very soon to try to end the crisis concerning the 46 Ivorian soldiers imprisoned in Bamako. This “high-level mission” follows several steps which ended in failure to obtain the release of the Ivorian soldiers arrested since July 10, 2022. 

Diplomatic steps are continuing to obtain the release of Ivorian soldiers imprisoned in Mali. After the displacement of several Heads of State and emissaries in Mali on this issue, it is the turn of three of the sub-regional presidents to try their luck at mediation.

Macky Sall, Chairman of the African Union, the President of Ghana Nana Akufo Addo and Faure Gnassingbé of Togo will meet the President of the Malian Transition Assimi Goïta in the coming days.

The announcement was made at the end of the extraordinary ECOWAS summit held on September 22, 2022 in New York, on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly.

Is this visit a last chance for Mali before possible new escalations of tension between Bamako and West African institutions? In any case, the crisis between these two neighboring countries has a negative impact on the proper functioning of ECOWAS. 

At the end of this summit, requested by Côte d’Ivoire, all the heads of state of the sub-region agreed to demand the « immediate and unconditional » release of the Ivorian soldiers detained since July 10, said Omar Alie Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission.

In this crisis between Abidjan and Bamako, the Malian authorities have requested that, in return for the release of the soldiers detained in Mali, Côte d’Ivoire extradite to Mali personalities who, according to them, benefit from the protection of Abidjan for destabilize Mali. 

On Saturday September 3, 2022, Bamako agreed to release three female soldiers from the group of 49 Ivorian soldiers accused of mercenary activity.

Yaovi AGBEGNIGAN