A Dialogue of One

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Participants in Mali’s national dialogue proposed extending the rule of the military junta for three more years, prolonging the country’s lagging transition to democracy since the army’s 2020 coup, Reuters reported.

The military has governed Mali since the takeover, but tensions have risen in recent months after the junta failed to keep its promised timeline to return to constitutional rule.

Led by Col. Assimi Goita, the military government had promised to hand over power through elections to be held last February, but later postponed the vote indefinitely citing the country’s deteriorating security situation, Agence France-Presse added.

The national dialogue culminated Friday with a series of recommendations, including extending the junta’s rule and allowing Goita to run in any rescheduled elections.

Even so, an alliance of political parties and civil society groups boycotted the dialogue and accused army officials of exploiting it to stay in power.

Last month, authorities suspended all party political activities after silencing opponents, journalists and human rights activists.

Observers noted that another delay underscores further democratic backsliding in Mali, as well as other countries in West and Central Africa that have experienced coups in recent years.

Mali has been grappling with violence since 2012 when Islamist militants seized control of a rebellion led by nomadic Tuareg groups in the country’s Saharan region.

The Tuaregs had voiced grievances of governmental neglect and aspired for autonomy in the desert territory they refer to as Azawad.