Addis Ababa - The African Union on Thursday applauded the handover of power to Mali's interim leader Dioncounda Traore from last month's coup leaders.
"Council... expressed satisfaction at the swearing in of the acting president which took place today," said Ramtane Lamamra, the commissioner for the AU's peace and security council.
Lamamara also praised the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its efforts in forging the power handover.
The council "equally expressed satisfaction at the efforts being deployed by ECOWAS which brought about the positive evolution," he said.
A meeting on Mali will take place among AU security council members next week to "take appropriate measures on the evolving situation," he added.
Traore, the former parliament speaker, took the oath of office in the capital Bamako of the west African nation at a ceremony attended by, among others, junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo who grabbed power in a March 22 coup.
The coup drew international condemnation and a broad aid freeze and sanctions which forced the junta to agree to hand over power. - Sapa-AFP
IOL News