At least 50,000 Malian refugees return home - PM
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Malian Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga said here Sunday at least 50,000 Malian refugees out of an estimated 350,000 had arrived in their villages of origin between 28 December 2021 and 28 January 2022.
Due to terrorist attacks since 2012 in several parts of Mali, many people took refuge in more secure Malian cities and in some neighbouring countries like Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso.
In an interview with national television, the Malian prime minister said this was made possible due to the change in strategies put in place by the President of the Transition, Colonel Assimi Goita, and the minister of Defence and Veterans, Colonel Sadio Camara.
"Out of 350,000 refugees inside and outside the country, 50,000 have returned to their villages of origin and today our army is in exceptional conditions that allow it to accomplish its historic regalian mission, I was going to say to secure the Malian people," Maiga added.
According to him, "the objective of the President of the Transition and the government is that in a few months, we pacify most of the national territory to be able to go to the elections.
"Since 28 December 2021, the Malian army has achieved spectacular results against terrorist groups and is now on the offensive. Terrorists have been neutralized, bases destroyed, arms and ammunition have been seized," he said.
The prime minister noted: "Today in all regions of Mali, citizens feel the return of peace, little by little."
In addition, Maiga once again denounced the illegal and illegitimate nature of the sanctions imposed on Mali by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) against Mali.
He gave the assurance that "despite everything, the Malian government remains open to dialogue. It is at the end of discussions with our brothers that we arrive at a timetable, we will explain to the Malian people why we have made this or that concession," he stated.
He insisted that "the only thing on which we cannot make concessions is the security of people and property. Nothing will make us back down on the search for the security of Malians before anything else," he stated.
He welcomed the approach of the African Union through the Chairperson of the Commission, Moussa Faki Mohamed, who, according to him, has invested in renewing the dialogue between Mali and ECOWAS.
He reiterated that "Mali is an independent and sovereign state and that Mali must be helped to exercise its full sovereignty over its entire territory".
As a reminder, the Chairperson of the AU Commission went to Mali to meet with the transitional authorities to find solution to the crisis between Mali and ECOWAS.
He went to Ghana, whose president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, holds the current chairmanship of ECOWAS.
-0- PANA GT/JSG/SOC/BBA/RA 31Jan2022
