Mali’s National Transition Council has unanimously approved a significant bill.
This legislation revises the Transition Charter, allowing interim President Gen. Assimi Goita to extend his rule.
He can now serve a renewable five-year term, commencing in 2025.
One hundred thirty-one CNT members cast their votes on Thursday.
The decision occurred at the Bamako International Conference Center.
Council President Lt. Gen. Malick Diaw presided over the pivotal meeting.
This move solidifies Goita’s hold on power.
The bill’s approval followed a similar endorsement by the Council of Ministers in June.
This aligns with recommendations from a December 2021 national conference.
That conference prioritized political and institutional reforms over immediate elections.
A new Constitution was subsequently adopted via referendum in June 2023.
Mali’s government initially set a 24-month transition period in June 2022.
A presidential election was slated for February 2024.
However, “technical reasons” caused a delay.
This recent legislative action appears to supersede prior timelines.
Mali has also reoriented its regional alliances.
It formed the Confederation of Sahel States on July 6, 2024.
This follows the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) last September.
The nation recently withdrew from ECOWAS and La Francophonie.