Africa

Mali President Resigns after Mutiny

Published

6 years ago

August 19, 2020

Eric

Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced his resignation on live television in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a military coup.

“I’ve decided to leave my post,” he said, clad in traditional clothing and a medical mask to protect against the coronavirus.

The president and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse were arrested by the military after a mutiny on Tuesday, following months of street protests in the volatile West African state, which is also battling an Islamic insurgency.

“The president and his prime minister have been arrested.

“They are being taken to Kati military camp,” army officer Sidi Gakou told dpa earlier Tuesday.

The United Nations, European Union, African Union Commission, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have condemned the military’s actions.

The UN has called for the “immediate release” of the president, while the EU said it “condemns the coup attempt under way in Mali and rejects any anti-constitutional change.”

“This can in no way be a response to the deep socio-political crisis that has hit Mali for several months,” the EU said in a statement.

Later, ECOWAS said that it decided to close its member states’ borders with Mali, suspend the country from its decision-making bodies “with immediate effect,” and temporarily interrupt financial flows between its other 14 members and Bamako.

Mali has been struggling to maintain stability since tens of thousands of opposition supporters accused Mr Keita of gross intimidation and vote-buying during a parliamentary election in April, which gave his administration a firm majority.

Soldiers started to mutiny early Tuesday in the garrison town of Kati, 15 kilometres north-west of Bamako. Gunfire was heard in the capital.

A photographer told dpa there had been several thousand protesters on the streets, with people firing into the air in celebration.

Before its leaders were detained, the government had released a statement calling for calm, admitting that soldiers might have legitimate frustrations and saying they were prepared to engage in a dialogue.

The U.S., Australian, and Swedish embassies in Mali warned of possible unrest in the volatile West African country, urging their citizens to stay at home.

France, a former colonial power in Mali, condemned the mutiny.

“France has learned with concern of the mutiny that has started today in Kati, Mali.

“It condemns this serious event in the strongest terms,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The coup came after several weeks of political tensions and repeated anti-government protests during which talks between the government and the opposition, which is led by popular cleric Mahmoud Dicko, a former ally of Keita, failed.

A coup in Mali in 2012 was carried out by soldiers from the same barracks.

Political instability in Mali is seen as a dangerous development for the entire Sahel region, which already faces ongoing threats from numerous terrorist and separatist groups.

(dpa/NAN)

Africa

Investment Opportunities: Promote Ghana with Your Platforms, Bonsu Charges Chinese Media

Published

3 weeks ago

February 12, 2026

Eric

Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, has appealed to the Chinese media to use their medium to promote Ghana.

Ghana, he said, boasts of several business opportunities, therefore if the Chinese media take keen interest in Ghanaian issues, it would help attract investors from China to Ghana.

According to him, the door of the Ghana Embassy in China is wide open to Chinese journalists, especially those who want to positively project Ghana.

“The Chinese media institutions should henceforth partner with the Ghana Embassy in promoting trade and investment opportunities in both of our sister countries for growth.

“There are potential for growth in various sectors such as infrastructure, clean energy, Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), healthcare, minerals processing and agriculture,” Mr. Bonsu pointed out.

He was speaking when the Ghana Embassy in China recently hosted a press soiree in Beijing, which was graced by a number of prominent media institutions in China.

The programme was mainly used to promote Ghana’s upcoming 69th independence anniversary celebrations and also highlight investent opportunities in the country.

Kojo Bonsu, who is a former Kumasi Mayor, said Ghana is the safest, friendly and best country for any investor to do business, urging Chinese businessmen to heed his advice.

According to him, Ghana is a democratic nation, which has conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, stressing his desire to work and improve Ghana-China relations.

“Ghana is committed to strengthening ties with China. My country is a stable democracy, has business-friendly environment and rich cultural heritage,” Kojo Bonsu stated.

Africa

Mahama Recalls High Commissioner to Nigeria over Election Rigging Allegations

Published

3 weeks ago

February 8, 2026

Eric

President John Mahama of Ghana has ordered the immediate recall of Mohammed Ahmed, known as Baba Jamal, from his position as the country’s high commissioner to Nigeria over allegations of vote buying in Saturday’s parliamentary primaries.

Mahama’s decision was in response to claims that delegates were induced during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries.

Jamal was a candidate in the polls, which he later won.

During the election, Jamal’s campaign team offered 32-inch televisions and boiled eggs to delegates who took part in the primaries.

Jamal confirmed that television sets had been distributed but rejected claims that the act amounted to vote buying.

“So if you give television sets to people, what is wrong with it when you give things to people?” he asked, according to local media JoyOnline.

“Is this the first time I am giving things to people?”

Explaining the reason behind Jamal’s recall, Felix Ofosu, Mahama’s spokesperson, said that while the allegations of vote buying were made against multiple candidates who contested the primaries, Jamal was the only serving public officer among them.

“The President has also noted the public statement by the General Secretary of the NDC indicating that the Party has commenced its own investigations into the allegations arising from the primaries,” the statement reads.

“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office and to avoid any perception of impropriety or conflict with the Government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees.”

Ofosu said the high commissioner’s recall takes effect immediately, and that directives had been issued to the minister for foreign affairs to take the necessary administrative steps.

Africa

Muammar Gaddafi’s Son Saif al-Islam Assassinated

Published

4 weeks ago

February 4, 2026

Eric

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has died at the age of 53, his political team announced on Tuesday.

The Head of the political team told Libyan News Agency that the young Gaddafi died near the country’s border with Algeria.

His sister confirmed the development, but did not specify the cause of death.

Born in 1972, the younger Gaddafi was once widely seen as his father’s heir apparent. The International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest, seeking to prosecute him for crimes against humanity related to his alleged role in crushing opposition demonstrations in 2011.