Thousands demonstrate in Mali against country’s sanctions

Bamako, Apr 1 (EFE).- Thousands of Malians demonstrated Friday in Bamako in solidarity with the transitional government and against the financial embargo imposed on the country by the Economic Community of West African States.

The demonstrators, who gathered in the central avenue of Independence, demanded the exit of the community, chanted slogans against the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and called for the launch of the Malian currency and the nationalization of French companies in the country.

In a carnival atmosphere amid high temperatures, protesters, made up of members of civil society and religious groups, expressed their support for the ruling military junta’s proposal for a longer transition period of up to five years.

During the protest, which lasted more than three hours, demonstrators carried the national flags of Mali and Russia and chanted slogans against France.

The community decreed a series of sanctions against the Malian transitional government after its decision to delay the election date and extend the transitional period.

Mali has been immersed in a security crisis since 2012 due to the appearance of several jihadist groups affiliated with Al Qaeda or the Islamic State, which took advantage of the weakness of the Malian state to advance through the Sahel, and two coups in the last two years. EFE

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