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The head of Mali’s military junta, Col. Azimi Koida, this Friday, January 6, granted a presidential pardon to 49 Ivorian soldiers arrested in July and later condemned by Mali’s judiciary. The effect of the crisis is to poison regional relations. Robert Tussi, the foreign minister of Togo, a mediator in the crisis, responded to RFI shortly after the announcement.
This announcement fell this Friday evening, via the statement n ° 43 of the Mali transition, read on the airwaves of national television. In a decree, Col. Assimi Koida granted amnesty to 49 Ivorian soldiers with full remission of sentences. The most severe sentence was imposed last week.
In this report, the Govt. connection […] To preserve fraternal and secular relations Especially with countries in the region along Cote d’Ivoire. As the text says, the momentum was created by the arrival of a large group from Côte d’Ivoire in Bamako last December 22 and the signing of a memorandum. The Government of Mali congratulates Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe for his mediation in this matter. The latter passed away on Wednesday One-on-one with Asimi Goita.
Of the 49 sentenced last week, three were released in October. So there are 46 people in the prisons at Pamaga who should hear the news this evening with great relief. We still don’t know the exact terms of their release with this presidential pardon.
Diplomatic negotiations
On the other hand, we know few details about this announcement before. Our regional correspondent reports that when Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé arrived in Bamako on Wednesday for a one-on-one meeting with Colonel Asimi Koida, he secured a presidential pardon for 49 Ivorian soldiers. Serge Daniel. But a drop of sand slips: Bamako asks for a final guarantee. Faure Gnassingbe takes his flight, stops in Abidjan and meets with Ivorian President Alassane Dramane Ouattara. The latter provides the last guarantee. The case is almost in the pocket.
Two more persons interfere in the outcome of this case. Mahamad Saleh Annatif first. Chad’s current foreign minister, but also a former representative of the UN embassy in Mali, intervened to smooth things over. Kome Sesse is a Malian businessman based in Côte d’Ivoire. He was a member of the last Ivorian delegation to visit Mali. It has entries in Bamako and Abidjan. It was he who received the good news from Bamako this Friday morning and indicated the plan to end the crisis: the announcement of a pardon by the Council of Ministers and the President in the capital of Mali.
Pardoned, but not yet freed, perhaps only for a few hours. As of this Friday evening, Abidjan has yet to make any official announcement. Since the beginning of the crisis, the Ivorian authorities have been very measured on the issue. But behind the scenes, tonight, it was a relief. A government source told our correspondent that members of the government are sending messages to each other and they are calling each other Pineda Diagne. Relief was also expressed on social media by many internet users. All 46 players have effectively returned from suspension. No date has been set yet.
This presidential pardon is “the beginning of the reconciliation process.”
The main mediator of the crisis was Togo and its foreign minister, Robert Tassi. He announces the impending release of 46 Ivorians.
Needless to say, in a few hours, all 46 soldiers will be reunited with their families on the soil of Ivory.
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