The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

  • Buhari congratulates Presidents Keita, Mnangagwa on election victories

    President Muhammadu Buhari on behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has heartily congratulated President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali on winning the country’s election for a second term in office.

    He also felicitated with majority of Malians for giving the incumbent another opportunity to serve them after the August 12, 2018 presidential run-off.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also urged the main challenger, Soumaila Cisse and his supporters to abide by the verdict of the people as confirmed by the ruling of the Constitutional Court, and join hands with President Keita in the interest of the country in particular and peace and stability of West Africa.

    The Nigerian leader firmly believed that the successful outcome of the election in Mali further strengthens Africa’s democratic credentials as the people are allowed to choose their leaders without let or hindrance.

    Read Also: Buhari protecting the poor, says Keyamo

    Buhari wished President Keita a successful second tenure in a peaceful and stable atmosphere.

    Similarly, the Nigerian President has congratulated President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe following his declaration by the country’s Constitutional Court as the lawful winner of the July presidential poll.

    President Buhari called on all Zimbabweans especially the politicians to unite and work for the progress and development of their country.

     

  • Macron says France uncompromising against jihadists in Mali

    Macron says France uncompromising against jihadists in Mali

    France will be uncompromising in its fight against militant Islamists in Mali and the Sahel region, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday during his first visit outside Europe’s borders.

    Speaking alongside Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita at the Gao military base in the north of the country where some 1,600 troops are based, Macron also said France was determined to act for continued security in the region, and would seek to strengthen cooperation with France’s EU partner Germany to that end.

    “Germany is very present in back-up operations,” he said.

    “I want to strengthen that partnership and make sure that this German commitment, which is already present, can be intensified.”

    “Germany knows what is at stake here (and) is also part of Europe’s security and our future. Neither France nor Germany are isolated islands.”

    NAN reports that Macron’s trip to Mali is the first trip as commander-in-chief.

    He is meeting troops fighting Islamist militants in Mali where the security situation has worsened despite French intervention more than four years ago.

    The Sahel, a politically fragile area whose remote desert spaces spanning from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east host a medley of jihadist groups, is seen as vulnerable after a series of attacks in recent months.

    That has been brought further to light after a spike in violence across Mali, where the former colonial power intervened more than four years ago to drive out al Qaeda-linked militants who hijacked a rebellion in 2012 by ethnic Tuaregs and attempted to take control of the central government in Bamako.

    Macron, a newcomer to international diplomacy, put counter-terrorism at the top of his security priorities during the election campaign, vowing to strengthen support for West African allies.

    The trip to Gao, where some 1,600 troops are based and where he will also hold talks with Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, will reaffirm Paris’ engagement, in stark contrast to his predecessor Francois Hollande, who began his term pulling troops out of Afghanistan.

    After sending troops to Mali, France has since spread some 4,000 soldiers across the region to hunt down Islamists, while UN’ peacekeepers have been deployed to ensure Mali’s stability.

    However, the UN’s forces have lacked equipment and resources, making a political settlement between Tuaregs and the government in Mali increasingly fragile and paving the way for Islamists and traffickers to exploit a void in the north of the country.

     

  • Malian election, a boost for democracy, says Ekweremadu

    Malian election, a boost for democracy, says Ekweremadu

    The Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), Senator Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday commended ECOWAS and the people of Mali for the success recorded so far in the Malian presidential election.

    Ekweremadu described the election as “free, fair, and credible.”

    He noted that the peaceful conduct of the poll was a boost for democracy and peace in Mali and the entire West Africa.

    The Speaker said: “The peaceful election in Mali justifies the huge human and material sacrifices made by ECOWAS and friends of the sub-region to ensure that peace and democracy are secured in the country.

    “It is a clear testimony to the capacity of ECOWAS to resolve internal crises, defend and consolidate democracy in West Africa.

    “ECOWAS Parliament is particularly proud of the government and people of Mali for the record turnout of voters and their peaceful and orderly conduct during the poll.”

    He however warned against complacency as Mali prepares for the August 11 run-off between the two leading candidates, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and SoumailaCisse.

    “Though the job is already half done, it is not over yet as all stakeholders must work together relentlessly to ensure a peaceful, free, fair, and credible conclusion of the presidential election,” he stressed.

    It could be recalled that a clear winner could not emerge in the July 28 presidential election, the first since the 2012 military coup.

    Keita, a former Prime Minister and Speaker of the West African nation, garnered about 39.2 per cent of the 3.1 million votes to lead the other 27 candidates but fell short of the majority vote required to emerge as President.

    He faces former Finance Minister, Cisse, who polled 19.4 of the votes, in a run-off.

  • New Malian president sworn in

    New Malian president sworn in

    Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was formally sworn in by the Supreme Court as Mali’s new President on Wednesday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    Keita’s inauguration began with a silent hand-over procedure with interim president Dioncounda Traore, followed by a ceremony observed by selected Malian institutions at the international conference centre in the capital, Bamako.

    A public inauguration ceremony with foreign dignitaries is planned for September.

     

  • Jonathan congratulates Mali’s president-elect

    Jonathan congratulates Mali’s president-elect

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday congratulated Mali’s President-elect, Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, on his victory in last Sunday’s run-off Presidential election in the country.

    He also congratulated and commended the people of Mali for successfully conducting the elections and taking a major step towards the full restoration of democratic governance in their country.

    Jonathan, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Nigeria is looking forward to the conclusion of the process with Mr. Keita’s inauguration as President in line with the wish of the Malian people as expressed at the polls on Sunday.

    The statement reads: “The President believes that having served capably as his country’s Prime Minister for many years, Mr. Keita will assume the Malian Presidency with the requisite experience, knowledge and wisdom needed to guide the country towards a speedy return to peace, normalcy, political stability and further development.”

    “President Jonathan assures Mr. Keita of the support, assistance and cooperation of Nigeria, ECOWAS and the African Union as he prepares to assume the burden of leading Mali away from political strife and instability, to national peace and progress.”

    Jonathan also wished the Malian President-elect a very successful tenure in office.