Algeria has expressed its “full readiness” to actively accompany Mali and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “in the salutary path of mutual understanding” that would protect the highest interests of Malian people, said the Presidency of the Republic Tuesday in a statement.
“In its dual capacity as leader of the international mediation and Chairman of the Follow-up Committee of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali, resulting from the Algiers process, and also as a neighboring country sharing a long land border as well as a long history of good neighborliness and fraternity with Mali, and on the occasion of its recent interactions with the Malian authorities, while warning against the political, security and economic consequences of any long transition such as that planned by the Malian party, Algeria has called for a peaceful and realistic dialogue with ECOWAS with a view to reaching a crisis exit strategy that takes into account international requirements and the legitimate aspirations of the Malian people, as well as internal factors related to the Malian national dynamics,” said the presidency in a statement.
“In this regard, President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, urged, in the meeting he granted on January 6 to a high-level Malian delegation, the authorities of Malian transition to ensure, in 2022, a Malian constitutional order in order to enshrine the achievements of and recommendations of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali resulting from the Algiers process,” said the same source.
“President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who emphasized the need for an inclusive approach to meet the complexity of structural and cyclical problems and challenges that Mali must face, including in the fight against terrorism, said that a transition period of twelve to sixteen months is appropriate and feasible,” the same source added.
“The President of the Republic further reiterated Algeria’s unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Mali, and encouraged the transition leaders to adopt a responsible and constructive attitude,” the presidency said in this regard.
” In view of the serious risks and hardships posed by the array of massive sanctions announced by the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State on January 9 in Accra, as well as the countermeasures announced by the Government of the Republic of Mali, Algeria calls on all parties to resort to restraint and re-engage in dialogue in order to avoid a spiral of tension and an exacerbation of the crisis in the region,” the same source said.
“Faithful to the principle of promoting African solutions to African problems, which is the basis for qualitative contributions within the African Union, Algeria expresses its full readiness to actively accompany the Republic of Mali and ECOWAS in the salutary path of mutual understanding based on a common vision that would protect the highest interests of the brotherly Malian people,” the presidency concluded.
Source APS