Nigeria former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been appointed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a Special Envoy to lead the sub-regional body’s mediation mission in Mali.
In statement released by the ex-president’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathan is expected, by virtue of his appointment, to facilitate dialogue “with all principal stakeholders in Mali, including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Opposition leaders, civil society as well as religious organizations, towards resolving the worsening socio-political situation in the West African country.”
According to the statement, the former President will be departing for Bamako, the Malian capital on Wednesday as he has assured he would do his best to ensure the outcome of the mission comes out successful.
Goodluck Jonathan’s appointment was communicated to him in a letter signed by Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission.
Claude said in the letter “Given your position as the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the great role and contributions your tenure offered to the maintenance of peace, security and stability in our region, I have the honour, in consultation with the Chair of the Authority, H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger, to communicate to you, the decision to appoint you as ECOWAS Special Envoy for the sociopolitical crisis in Mali,”
The West African country, Mali, has been hit by protests due to the outcome of parliamentary elections in March and April. More-so, there have been wide agitations against the government’s handling of the issues of Jihadists insurgency that has bedeviled the economy.