Mali’s financial sector is facing potential disruption as the National Union of Banks, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions and Businesses (NBICFIB) called for a work stoppage starting Thursday.
This comes after the union’s secretary-general, Hamadoun Bah, was arrested on Wednesday.
Details surrounding Bah’s arrest remain unclear. Malian authorities haven’t confirmed the arrest, and the NBICFIB statement provided no further information.
The union’s decision to strike follows an emergency meeting of its executive bureau.
Meanwhile, Mali grapples with another potential social unrest.
A coalition of political parties and associations known as the Synergy of Action for Mali has called for a protest on Friday.
This separate demonstration aims to highlight the rising cost of living and ongoing electricity cuts plaguing the West African nation.
Mali has been under military rule since a 2020 coup, further adding to the social and economic tensions simmering in the country.
