Macky Sall, President of Senegal and Chairman of the African Union, met with the Malian President, Colonel Assimi Goïta. The topic: Ivorian soldiers detained in Bamako for more than a month.
After the visit, Assimi Goïta tweeted that they discussed "the smooth running of the transition and the support of the African Union" alongside the "strengthening of cooperation between Mali and Senegal."
The 49 Ivorian soldiers were arrested in Bamako and officially charged on Friday, August 12. Among many other, for "conspiracy against the government" and "undermining state security." The Malian authorities accuse them of being "mercenaries". Abidjan assures that they are regular army soldiers who came to support the UN mission in the country, the Minusma (which the United Nations confirmed).
Other attempts at mediation have so far failed to improve the situation. Leaving the Kolouba palace, the Chairman of the African Union declared: "I noted Mali's availability for dialogue, we will continue with Côte d'Ivoire." Macky Sall described his exchanges with the Malian transitional president as "frank" without going into details.
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