For the first time he walked alongside Soumaïla Cissé, when he launched an assault on the presidency with his Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD) party. He then embodied the young guard of the June 5th protest movement, the M5-RFP, which precipitated the fall of the Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta regime in 2020, to finally sit on the National Transitional Council (CNT), which acts as a legislative body.
Openly critical of Prime Minister Choguel Maïga, with whom he coexisted in the M5-RFP veterans, Nouhoum Sarr, president of the African Front for Development (FAD) party, appears to be an unwavering supporter of the ruling junta in Bamako. .
“Disrespect” for French leaders, Barkhane’s “inefficiency” in the fight against terrorism, “illegal and illegitimate ECOWAS sanctions”… The parliamentarian defends all the impasses initiated by Assimi Goïta and the colonels in favor of the “sovereignty found in Mali”.
Jeune Afrique: Created during the transition, the CNT acts as a legislative institution. Given the many decisions taken by Assimi Goïta's decree, does the CNT really have a role to play?
Nouhoum Sarr: Obviously! I would even say that the CNT is the backbone of the transition. In the sense that it was not shaken by the events of May 2021 that ended the first phase of the transition [le « putsch dans le putsch » qui a porté Assimi Goïta au pouvoir le 24 mai 2021].
For example, the CNT fully played its role by voting on the largely amended electoral law or the State Budget.
In April 2022, you were very critical of the progress of the Government Action Plan (PAG), of which only 30% of the measures had been adopted, according to you. Where are we For this day?
We do not have the fulfillment rate. But we can see some changes, especially in terms of security where satisfaction lies in the encounter. The army now numbers more than 65,000 men. This is a significant development.
Many prophesied chaos after Barkhane's departure. On the contrary, the situation has improved. But there are still challenges to be overcome in agriculture, electricity and even the health sector.
A year ago, you still have no idea of the pace of execution of the government plan?
In fact, I don't know of an assessment conveyed by the Prime Minister since then. But there were written questions to the government and exchanges. The CNT exercises its supervisory role.
With the postponement otherwise die Following the constitutional referendum in March and the delay in the electoral calendar, there are those who welcome the postponement of the 2024 presidential elections. Do you share this concern?
I would like to reaffirm the authority of the authorities to hold the election on the scheduled date. I am of the opposite opinion. I don't think I'm going to advance the election. If they are sloppy, they will inevitably be challenged. Remember that the 2020 legislative elections prefigured the fall of the Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta regime.
The delay recorded concerns the celebration of minors. The most important thing is the presidential election and there is no indication that it was not promoted on the scheduled date.
Mali made a major turnaround in its diplomatic and military alliances, marked in particular by the break with France…
It was the French authorities who, one fine morning, decided to suspend joint operations with the Malian army, and then leave. Let's not rewrite history.
Before that, Mali's prime minister had called French soldiers “mercenaries”. In this situation, wasn't the French army defeated at the beginning?
I have not heard Choguel Maïga use this term. What is certain is that the actions of the French army, a modern army with formidable capabilities, were unable to contain the expansion of terrorist groups. Given this, the Malian people had the right to question its effectiveness.
Do you suspect that the French army is an accomplice to these groups, as the Foreign Minister argued before the UN?
Abdoulaye Diop certainly has information that is not in my possession. But since France's departure and the reconfiguration of Mali's security apparatus, you have noticed, as I have, the decline of terrorist groups and the reduction in attacks on Mali's military bases.
The minister also asked the Security Council to convene a session to present its evidence. To date, no Council member has requested it, not even in Russia or China. Why not publish it as evidence directly?
It is the Malian authorities' choice to wait for this session. It must also be recognized that tests relating to the inspection of Malian airspace by France have already been recognized. When you decide to leave a country, it is not normal to enter its airspace without authorization.
You claim that the security situation is improved. However, the attacks have come closer to Bamako and the advance of the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara (EIGS) in the Ménaka region is very worrying…
In France, there was the Bataclan attack in 2015. No one said that the security situation in France had worsened. You refer to sporadic actions in southern Mali. Desperate actions that are a sign of loss of power operational terrorist groups.
As for Ménaka, the army is taking the necessary measures to limit the expansion of the EIGS. But we hear a lot of false information about this subject. Some would assert that the city of Ménaka could fall. Journalists, but also a foreign president. What does he know? Unless he is aware of the plan targeting Ménaka, or participates in it.
Which president are you referring to?
To the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum.
In addition to attacks by jihadist groups, the influence of abuses against the Malian army and its Russian auxiliaries have increased sharply…
So far, I haven't seen any concrete evidence about these emotions. But the authorities assumed their responsibilities and opened the investigation, the results of which were made public.
Not those investigating the Moura massacre, more than a year ago…
The investigation continues at AMDH [Association malienne des droits humains, qui n'a aucun lien avec le gouvernement] and other independent organizations. Regarding the attack carried out by the French on Bounty, there was a United Nations investigation, but the French one is still ongoing. The time of justice is not that of men.
Why do authorities still refuse to name Wagner even though Vladimir Putin has admitted the presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali?
I haven't heard Putin talk about Wagner. Maybe we don't have the same definition of the word mercenary. On this matter, we do not treat Mali like other countries. The US military uses the private security company Blackwater. The French at Amarante International.
Mali would therefore have no problem accepting the use of a private security company if this were the case. In this case, there are Russian instructors in Mali from the regular army.
In Bamako, acoustic speeches intensified following the departure of Minusma. you are a favor?
It is clear that Minusma's presence did not change the security situation. But we cannot ignore their contributions on a social level, or in terms of infrastructure. That said, the Malian authorities are legitimate authorities. And if they demanded the blue helmets leave, Minusma will have to comply.
You talk about the authorization of the authorities, who came to power after two coups…
Permission is not only measured by the recognition of elections, but by the ability to govern in the interests of the people. Demonstrations in support of the transition on January 14 [2022 – ndlr] are proof of this evacuation. IBK had been elected, but popular protest ended his claim.
Oumar Mariko, Ras Bath, Rokia Doumbia are all personalities sued after criticism made against the army or the transition. Is it a critical crime or a regime?
Absolutely not! The harshest criticism of the transition generally comes from the CNT.
In the case of Ras Bath, he did not criticize the transition, but accused it of murder. [il a déclaré que les auteurs avaient assassiné l'ex-Premier minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga]. In politics, there is no place for unfounded pressure.
Rokia Doumbia is being prosecuted for “incitement to revolt” after simply denouncing the high cost of living and the management of the authorities…
I didn't read his file. Of course it affected me, because everything that affects a woman affects me, it's a sensitivity, a sensitivity. I pray that everything goes well For She.
