
Colonel Assimi Goita, leader of the junta in Mali, kicked off the national phase of inter-Malian dialogue on Monday, aiming to address the country’s ongoing crisis with domestic solutions.
This dialogue, titled “inter-Malian dialogue for peace and national reconciliation,” commenced after local consultations and is set to conclude on Friday.
However, a significant portion of the opposition has opted to boycott the process, alleging that the colonels are leveraging the dialogue to bolster their increasingly challenged legitimacy and prolong their stay in power.
Since the consecutive coups in 2020 and 2021, Mali has been under military rule, with promises of a transition to civilian governance through elections in February.
Nevertheless, these elections have been postponed indefinitely due to a deteriorating security situation exacerbated by insurgent attacks.
In April, the military authorities further intensified their grip on power by suspending all party political activities and silencing dissenting voices, including opposition figures, journalists, and human rights activists.
Colonel Goita emphasized that the dialogue framework is designed to be “entirely inclusive,” allowing all Malians to participate and express themselves freely.
The junta aims to establish a new peace structure directly involving the people, without the need for intermediaries. The authorities hope that this dialogue will reinforce their peace efforts, especially after the collapse of the 2015 agreement with armed separatist groups in the north.
While this agreement was viewed internationally as a stabilizing factor, it faced criticism domestically for being perceived as a foreign-led initiative aiming at partitioning the country.
The separatist resurgence last year, coupled with the junta’s withdrawal from the 2015 agreement, has further complicated Mali’s security landscape. Colonel Goita pointed out that solutions proposed by the international community have only exacerbated tensions, leading to widespread violence across the country.
Although major cities have experienced a relative decrease in violence, rural areas continue to face escalating conflict. Despite ongoing dialogue and peace efforts, no concrete date has been set for the transfer of power.
The initial phases of the dialogue, focusing on communal and regional levels, took place in December and recommended extending the transition period before elections are held, with suggestions for Goita’s candidacy for the presidency in some instances.