Vice-President of Mali transitional government Col. Assimi Goita has met with Chinese Ambassador to Bamako Lu Huiying to hold talks on security challenges following the recent military takeover in the Western African country, the Malian Presidency said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th October, 2020) Vice-President of Mali transitional government Col. Assimi Goita has met with Chinese Ambassador to Bamako Lu Huiying to hold talks on security challenges following the recent military takeover in the Western African country, the Malian Presidency said on Wednesday.
According to the presidency, the meeting took place on Tuesday.
"The Vice-President of Transition, Colonel Assimi GOITA received in audience, @LiyingZHU1 [Lu Huiying], Ambassador of China to Mali. During their conversation, the two personae held an essential exchange of views on security issues," the presidency tweeted.
Mali was immersed in a security crisis after the August 18 military takeover, which ousted former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and his cabinet from power.
The junta responsible for the coup named itself the National Committee for the Salvation of the People and became the nation's ruling body before the new transition government, led by ex-Defense Minister Ba N'Daou, was appointed in late September. The rebels also elected Goita, who was among mutiny leaders, as vice-president in the transitional government. The new authorities are set to rule for 18 months after which new elections are to be held.
The coup d'etat took place following months of anti-governmental protests against Keita, in particular, over his inability to curb the Islamic insurgency which rocked Mali's north since 2011, as well as�other parts of the Sahel region.
Beijing, along with the rest of the international community, has condemned the mutiny, calling for restoration of constitutional order in the Western African nation.
China is actively involved in UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, deploying medical, security and engineering staff to the country. Beijing and Bamako have resumed economic cooperation, which was halted by instability in the African country, and signed the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement in September.
