Mali’s military junta has lifted a suspension on political party activities that was originally implemented to safeguard public order, the council of ministers announced late on Wednesday.
The suspension, announced in April, came just days before the start of a national dialogue for peace in the Sahelian nation, which has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency for over a decade and has been under military rule since August 2020.
“By taking this deterrent measure, the government was able to contain all the threats of public disorder that hung over this major event,” the council stated.
With the focus now on implementing the recommendations from the April 13-May 10th peace dialogue, the government will permit political parties to resume their activities, the statement said.
Mali’s junta, which took power in a second coup in 2021, had previously reneged on a promise to hold elections in February, postponing the vote indefinitely for technical reasons. This decision sparked anger among political parties and civil society groups, who demanded a return to constitutional order.
Since August 2020, there have been eight coups in West and Central Africa, including in neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, which are also fighting jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.
