Mali's Transitional President and Prime Minister Resign

On Wednesday, Mali’s transitional President Bah N'Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane resigned. They were arrested by the military on Monday following the formation of a new transitional government.

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"Bah N'Daw resigned from all his responsibilities, " announced Baba Cisse, special advisor to Vice President Assimi Goita, who was the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), which overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.

Cisse justified the arrest of N'Daw and Ouane by "deep differences both on the form and substance concerning the course of the transition."

"After the resignation of the transitional president and his prime minister, the detainees will regain their freedom. This will be done gradually for obvious security reasons," the special advisor said.

Goita would have announced his decision to lead the transition from now on with a prime minister proposed by the June 5 Movement & Mali Patriotic Forces Rally (M5-RFP), a political force backing the large demonstration that eventually led to the mutiny last year.

N'Daw and Ouane were taken by force to the Kati military camp following the transitional president's announcement on Monday of his appointment of members of the government on the proposal of the prime minister.

Influential members of the dissolved National Committee for the CNSP were not in the new government, which was thought to be the main reason for the president and prime minister's detentions.