Mali's new interim president Colonel Assimi Goita attends ECOWAS talks where West African leaders will discuss the country's second coup
Colonel Assimi Goita, then president of the CNSP, during a meeting with a delegation from ECOWAS on August 22, 2020 in Bamako.
He had served as vice president since leading a coup last August that ousted the democratically elected president, with the roles of president and prime minister held by civilians after pressure from ECOWAS, which has served as a mediator. Mali's constitutional court completed Goita's rise to full power on Friday by naming him transitional president.
The constitutional court said Goita would "exercise the functions of transitional president to lead the transition process to its conclusion".ECOWAS, which issued sanctions against Mali after the August coup before lifting them when the transitional government was put in place, will meet from 2:00 pm in Accra on Sunday.