President appoints new prime minister after Mali government resigns

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Picture: Michele Tantussi/Reuters

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Picture: Michele Tantussi/Reuters

Published Apr 22, 2019

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Johannesburg - Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita

appointed a new prime minister on Monday, days after the government

resigned amid a spike in violence in the restive West African

country.

Former finance minister Boubou Cisse has now been tasked with leading

a new government, the presidential office announced on Twitter. Cisse

is expected to form a cabinet with the blessing of government and

opposition members.

Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga stepped down as prime minister on Thursday

and his government resigned.

While no reason was given for the move, it came amid heavy criticism

that Maiga had failed to deal with the country's worsening security

situation.

Just weeks before, more than 100 people were killed in an attack by

gunmen on a village in central Mali.

Mali has experienced sporadic attacks by armed groups since a 2012

coup that led to separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-associated groups

gaining a foothold in the country's restive north.

dpa

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