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Short visit – a few hours – of the Togolese president to Bamako, this Wednesday, January 4, to discuss the fate of the 46 Ivorian soldiers detained since last July in Mali, a file in which Lomé is mediating. These soldiers were sentenced to twenty years in prison last week for an attack and conspiracy once morest the government of Assimi Goïta. Even if Faure Gnassingbé avoided the press, his visit is an important step.
With our correspondent in the region, Serge Daniel
Upon his arrival, Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé did not make a statement to the press. According to witnesses, he quickly rushed into a vehicle with the president of the transition of Mali, Colonel Assimi Goïta, direction Koulouba, seat of the presidential palace in Bamako.
I thank Colonel Assimi Goïta @GoitaAssimiPresident of the Transition and the people of Mali for the warm welcome received today in Bamako.
We will discuss bilateral cooperation, and topics of common interest, including peace, security and regional integration pic.twitter.com/ItJsK916BO
— Faure E. GNASSINGBÉ (@FEGnassingbe) January 4, 2023
It was a question of evoking what a source familiar with the matter described as ” final settings “, in the case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers sentenced last week 20 years in prison in Mali. We expect, in fact, a possible Malian presidential pardon, which might put an end to the file.
So far, Togo has fought and continues to fight for a happy outcome in this case, and the Malian authorities do not hide the fact that they prefer Togolese mediation to that of the Economic Community of African States. of the West, ECOWAS.
The President of the Transition, HE the Colonel @GoitaAssimiHead of State, received, on January 4, 2023, the President of the Republic of Togo, HE Faure Gnassingbé, on a 24-hour friendly and working visit to Mali. pic.twitter.com/SlDVqSbyOu
— Presidential Election (@PresidencyMali) January 4, 2023
After the meeting in Koulouba, nothing filtered talks between the two leaders. Witnesses who saw them leave the palace claim that their faces were not closed. An indication for the future, for a quick outcome so that the Ivorian soldiers recover their freedom thanks to the presidential act?
In any case, Lomé is working on it. Mali and Ivory Coast as well. Relations between the two countries have recently improved, with the signing of a memorandum.
►Also read: Case of the 46 Ivorian soldiers: despite the end of the ultimatum, ECOWAS does not intend to sanction Mali
