
Bamako - Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday revealed his new cabinet, tasked with reviving the West African nation following a turbulent 18 months that saw a coup and a rebellion plunge the gold exporter into crisis.
The announcement of the make-up of the 34-member cabinet on state television follows the nomination of Oumar Tatam Ly, a technocrat and senior official with the regional BCEAO central bank, as prime minister last week.
Keita, who pledged to put technical competence ahead of party affiliation, included only one of the 22 first-round presidential candidates who supported him in the August 11 run-off which he won with 78 percent of the vote.
Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga was named defence minister, having held the position under President Alpha Oumar Konare. Bouare Fily Sissoko, a former World Bank official, will serve as finance minister. And Zahaby Ould Sidy Mohamed, an Arab from the north and senior figure in a 1990s rebellion, was named foreign minister.