The president, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo, has embarked on his first trip after he declared the closing of the borders.
He travelled on Thursday 23rd July 2020 to Mali to mediate in the ongoing political crisis in Mali. He embarked on the trip at the request of the chairperson of the Economic CommunGhana’s President as one of the presidents who are going to help in the mediation process.
The President of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and the opposition June 5 Movement have for weeks been locked in a political standoff.
The tensions culminated in violent clashes earlier in July leading to 11 deaths.
Opposition groups in Mali have been calling for President Keïta to stand down because of his handling of the economy, corruption and the country’s eight-year-long conflict with insurgents.
The opposition groups have hinted that the president should step down because he is more concerned about his pocket and so indulged in corruption.
The president will be hinged in Mali by the following presidents, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, who is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, president of the Republic of Cote D’Ivoire and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal.
They will be holding a stakeholder consultation with the president of Mali, His Excellency Boubacar Keita, the Imam of Mali and Co-coordinator of the Opposition, Mahmoud Dicko and Civil Society groups, with an understanding to resolve the standoff.
The initial mediation mission from the ECOWAS ended on Sunday after failing to resolve the political standoff.
ECOWAS issued a list of reform proposals, but the opposition rejected the proposals, saying they did not address its main demand that the President resign.
The minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway together with the officials of the presidency accompanied the President on his trip.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Gladys Amoah Konadu
