Assimi Goïta

The incident exposes the depth of the resentment that has built up in some quarters of Colonel Assimi Goïta's regime towards the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) since the original Malian putsch in August 2020 (AC Vol 61 No 17 No road back for Keïta)...

And while Colonel Assimi Goïta's regime is clearly seizing on the incident to pressure international forces it has a beef with the UN and its German contingent do seem to have tripped up on the paperwork...

Malian military ruler Colonel Assimi Goïta is determined to show that his forces can tackle a growing Islamist onslaught despite the withdrawal of French and European troops under pressure from the regime...

The major role played by the Forces Armées Maliennes reflected junta leader Colonel Assimi Goïta's determination to show that even in the most distant regions of this huge country Malian government troops can succeed without western backing...

Two days later Mali's President Assimi Goïta signed a decree stating that elections would be held by March 2024 meaning that the transition would last 24 months starting from 26 March 2022 – the date of the Ecowas summit at which formal negotiations over the length of the transition began...

The summons is another round in the bitter fight between the junta under Colonel Assimi Goïta and Paris and touches some raw nerves about France's relationship with Bamako's civilian elite...

Additional curbs on its activity imposed by Colonel Assimi Goïta's regime in Bamako make it even harder for Minusma to operate effectively...

It has also unlike Col Assimi Goïta's junta in Mali continued to work with the French army which along with other European militaries has deployed anti-terrorist forces in Burkina Faso...

Colonel Assimi Goïta's military regime is responding to mounting allegations of human rights violations by the national army and Russian mercenaries of the Wagner Group by lashing out at reporters of the abuses...

After carrying out operations Maliko and Kélètigui over the past three months the military regime led by Colonel Assimi Goïta – who took power in an August 2020 coup – claimed successes against the jihadists particularly in the central regions...

Given Maïga's worldview he may share this analysis but he and transition president Col Assimi Goïta have so far refrained from direct comment...

It is a difficult sell domestically where public opinion – as right across the Sahel – has been enthused by Mali's junta leader Col Assimi Goïta and the populist-nationalist rhetoric of his premier Choguel Maïga in defying France...