Mali President Assimi Goïta meets Togolese mediator regarding Ivorian soldiers

Malian Transitional President Assimi Goïta met with Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey to discuss the mediation efforts for the release of 49 Ivorian soldiers currently detained in Mali. The soldiers, part of the 8th detachment of the National Support Element (NSE), were arrested at Bamako airport on July 10. Malian authorities have characterized the contingent as ‘mercenaries.’

The Ivorian soldiers have been providing logistical support to the UN mission in Mali (MINUSMA) since July 2019, specifically assisting a German subcontractor. During the meeting, Goïta expressed openness to a diplomatic resolution that respects Malian sovereignty and requested that Togo lead a ‘good offices’ mission to resolve the situation.

In a separate development, President Goïta also received annual reports from the Office Central de Lutte contre l’Enrichissement Illicite (OCLEI). The reports for 2021 and 2024 detail efforts to combat corruption, noting that OCLEI has transferred several dossiers to the justice system and conducted extensive sensitization programs to prevent illicit enrichment within the public administration.