By Amara Thoronka

The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Bio, on the 25th September 2021, presented to Sierra Leoneans in the USA the “Hands Off Our Girls” as the People’s Campaign where she praised her husband, President Dr Julius Maada Bio, for successfully securing an agenda item at the 76th United Nations General Assembly.

Madam Bio said this during a fundraising event organized by “Friends of the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign.”

The First Lady said that the programme is a continuation of the campaign which started in Sierra Leone and now on a global stage at the United Nations.

She thanked friends of the campaign and various stakeholders, including Legal Access through Women Yearning for Equality Rights (LAWYERS), Rainbow Initiative, a national non-governmental organization that is passionate about ending sexual gender-based violence in Sierra Leone, the Judiciary and the Sierra Leone Police for supporting the “Hands Off Our Girls Campaign” over the years.

First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio, also highlighted the ongoing 34 Military Project, which is being undertaken with funds raised by the campaign and praised her husband for providing her with the platform to support his human capital development vision through the campaign.

“President Bio, my husband, is the only African leader who has given so much voice to justice for victims of sexual violence and rape,” the First Lady said.

In a short statement, President Bio said that if they were to demonstrate seriousness about developing the country, they should carry women with them, adding that his Government would need a bigger coalition to protect women against sexual violence and rape.

The President stated that it was no longer the First Lady’s campaign but rather it is now Sierra Leone’s campaign and called on every woman to support the campaign.

“When we are changing Sierra Leone, it should be inclusiveness and women and girls should be part of it,” he concluded.

During the fundraising event, the “Friends of Hands Off Our Girls Campaign” raised US $110,000 dollars, a little over Le1.1 billion.

The “Hands Off Our Girls” campaign was initiated by the First Lady and launched few months after her husband assumed office in April 2018. The campaign is said to have greatly raised and increased awareness on sexual penetration and gender based violence in Sierra Leone as girls and women are becoming bolder to speak out and report cases of sexual penetration and rape than before.

Sierra Leone’s judiciary now has a special court on sexual offences and punishments for such offences have been made tougher, ranging from years imprisonmen to life imprisonment.

The Gambia United Kingdom Forces Community (GUKFC) was on Saturday 18th September 2021 officially launched in Tidworth, Southwest England.

GUKFC is a charity organisation set up by Gambians who are serving and/or have served in the British Armed Forces with the aim of creating a platform which allows members to share their collective aspirations of giving back to communities in The Gambia.

Mr. Mustapha Njie, Chairman and CEO TAF Africa Global and Mr. Sulayman Suntou Touray, Counsellor at the Gambia High Commission in the UK were the invited guests at the ceremony.

Delivering his keynote address via Zoom, centred on the ‘importance of Social Responsibility in Business,’ Mr. Njie said that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now substituted with a new terminology – Sustainable Development Partnership (SDP), a business model that helps a company to be community orientated on a range of issues; exterminating poverty, fostering gender equality, and other social, cultural and environmental issues.

Speaking on his company’s commitment to SDP, Mr. Njie said that 1% of his company’s total revenue is dedicated to fostering meaningful development and growth focusing on youths. “We focus on youths because when we invest in young people, we are investing in the development of the country,” he emphasised, adding that members of the GUKFC can be good role models for young people in the Gambia and encouraged them to map out strategies that instil positive attitude and mindset in young people.

In his contribution, Mr. Sulayman Suntou Touray, who represented The Gambia High Commission in the United Kingdom, commenced his speech by extending fraternal greetings on behalf of the Gambian President H.E. Mr. Adama Barrow through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Gambians Abroad. He applauded members of the GUKFC for their foresight in establishing the charity. Mr Touray said that the vast array of expertise within GUKFC can be a source of goodwill for the young people in the Gambia and challenged members of the charity to play an active role in the Gambia by organising public events and speak up to help and inspire the youths. He also cited the ongoing reforms in the Gambia Armed Forces in which GUKFC can be an important player due to their military training, experience and exposure. “Our synergy can influence a lot of positive changes for the country,” he noted while highlighting the crucial role played by the Gambia diaspora during the outbreak of Covid-19 through remittances which he said contributed immensely to the gross domestic product in 2020.

After speeches were made, the executive committee to steer the affairs of the charity over the next two years was unveiled. The charity was chaired by Mr Sheriff Dibba who was deputised by Captain Henry Owens.

The launching ceremony was climaxed with variety of outdoor activities – football, zimba and music and chairs.
The launch is said to be a significant milestone for the charity as it is seen as a foundation for humanitarian mission and assistance in the Gambia.

For the past 15 months, members of the charity took significant steps in fostering cooperation and collaboration through a range of activities – quarterly “campehs” via Zoom, online scrabble tournament and the Euro 2020 sweepstake competition.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay has responded to Essa Faal over the lawyer’s education self-praise insisting there are more educated people than the lawyer.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, Dr Ceesay said: “I think every leader has a right to say that ‘I’m the best candidate for the job’. As we speak, we think we are the best candidate for the job. He has a right to run for office, he has a right to promote himself.

“But that doesn’t mean that we have to engage ourselves in a very premature debate as to who is the most educated. But whenever there is a narrative which is false, if it’s not countered, it becomes the true narrative and that is not the case.

“The gentleman is not the most educated. There are more educated people. If it’s only by qualification, there are more educated people who are already in the field. If it’s experience and competence, none of the leaders currently in opposition has been tested and given the reigns of power to prove their mettle. So therefore all we say as politicians is what we think we can do.”

President Adama Barrow has said he was among those who tried to push start UDP to no avail – and insisted the UDP car will never start.

The president stated this while meeting citizens in Wellingara on Tuesday.

The president said: “There are three parties that are my opposition. One of the parties is those who ran away and never heart the courage to return home but got the courage and returned and formed a party after I won the election.

“The second party is those whom you know when we were fighting, they hid under the bed. After the end of the struggle, they came and began being President Barrow’s opposition. Those are the Ceesays, they were the ones hiding under the bed.

“There is another party, the party whom I myself was among people pushing them for 20 years. We pushed the car but the car refused to start. Still today, they are pushing them. Those cars will never start till eternity. There is no mechanic in The Gambia who can fix that [car].”

Drug Law Enforcement Agency officers have arrested two Senegalese for allegedly being in possession of cannabis.

The two Senegalese, both men, were arrested last Friday.

DLEAG said in a statement: “Two Senegalese nationals were on Friday 24th September 2021 around 17:30 hours GMT apprehended by operatives of the Drug Law Enforcement Agency, The Gambia (DLEAG) stationed at Soma, Lower River Region (LRR) at Yelli Tenda Checkpoint.

“Bamba Jatta, 25 years old Senegalese national and a resident of Binjona village, Cassamance was clutched alongside Talla Sene Saidy, 29 years old Senegalese and a resident of Dakar, Senegal. They were nabbed with nine (9) big parcels of suspected cannabis sativa wrapped in brown papers, concealed in a yellow plastic bag, and placed in a dark blue traveling bag. The said suspected cannabis sativa weighed two (2) kilograms and five hundred (500) grams.

“Bamba Jatta the principal suspect is charged for being in possession of prohibited drug for the purpose of drug trafficking contrary to section 43(4) e of the Drug Control Act (DCA) 2003. In addition, he is equally charged for conspiracy, attempt , aiding, and abetting the commission of drug related offenses contrary to section 53(1) a and b respectively of the DCA 2003 Laws of the Gambia. Talla Sene Saidy on the other hand is charged for Conspiracy, attempt, aiding and abetting the commission of drug related offenses contrary to section 53(1)a and b respectively of the DCA 2003 laws of The Gambia.

“Both suspects are in custody while investigation into the matter continues.”

UDP deputy administrative secretary Oley Dibba Wadda has come under fire for saying there is no such thing as right or wrong.

Mrs Dibba in a tweet insisted there is no right or wrong as she attempted to defend UDP’s decision on accepting Lamin Babadinding Jobarteh as member.

“There is no such thing as right or wrong. What one perceives as right might be viewed otherwise by another. To err is human no one is perfect and that’s ok. We continue to learn, unlearn and relearn and that’s ok too. Life is a classroom. We can choose to see things as illusion or real,” Mrs Dibba said in her September 28 tweet.

US-based Sainey Darboe was among the first express shock at Mrs Dibba’s comments.

The journalist reacted: “It’s absolutely shocking seeing a top UDP hack saying ‘there’s no right or wrong’. Killing innocent human beings is wrong. Pilfering from the public purse is wrong. Callous and cruel disregard for human life is wrong.

“It’s not okay for UDP to embrace a known human rights abuser and try to rationalize it.I called bull sh*t.Long suffering Gambians need a better government than a party that puts their lives and resources at risk.”

Ahmad Manjang of Team Essa Faal was also not impressed and he said: “These lot are going to give us a very long hard summer, from religious bigotry to canonization of alleged human right abusers and now there is no such thing as right or wrong. Now I know why everything goes in some camps, the circus continues.”

NPP’s Ahmed Gitteh said: “UDP wooo UDP. Your people in charge have no character of integrity. They just speak and change positions as an when it favors them.

“This Oley would have been the president of our country and then she will ask us to about all of our laws since the laws of Gambia has in it clear definition of dos and donts. RIGHTS & WRONGS.”

Independent presidential aspirant Essa Faal has denied ever saying he is the most educated among the country’s political leaders.

Speaking in Abuko on Tuesday to supporters, the flamboyant lawyer said: “I heard people saying I said I’m the most educated and I’m the richest. Where did I ever say that? Stop saying things that are not true.

“I only said I am educated and anyone who disputes that should come forward and tell me.

“But I never said I am the best in terms of education. I only said if we are choosing we should choose those who are educated and that I am educated.”

By: Christian Conteh

According to the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report titled- Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000 -2020, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF in 2020, around 1 in 4 people lacked safely managed drinking water in their homes and nearly half the world’s population lacked safely managed sanitation.

The ravaging COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to ensure everyone can access good hand hygiene. At the onset of the pandemic, 3 in 10 people worldwide could not wash their hands with soap and water within their homes.

The report revealed that billions of people around the world will be unable to access safely managed household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services in 2030 unless the rate of progress quadruples. It presents estimate on household access to safely managed drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services over the past five years, and assesses progress toward achieving the sixth sustainable development goal (SDG) to ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030’.

“Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, yet millions of people across the world lack access to a reliable, safe supply of water. Investment in water, sanitation and hygiene must be a global priority if we are to end this pandemic and build more resilient health systems.” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The report recognises the fact that some progress has been made towards achieving universal access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services.

“Between 2016 and 2020, the global population with safely managed drinking water at home increased from 70% to 74%; safely managed sanitation services grew from 47% to 54%; and handwashing facilities with soap and water increased from 67% to 7%.” Statistics from the report reveals

It further establishes that for the first time in 2020, more people used improved on-site sanitation, such as pit latrines and septic tanks, which can effectively contain and treat waste, rather than sewer connections. There is need for governments to ensure adequate support for safely managed on-site sanitation, including faecal sludge management, the report suggests.

The report calls for urgent intervention in the WASH sector, indicating that if current trends persist, billions of children and families will be left without critical, life-saving WASH services.

The statistics presented by the report show that if urgent action is not taken by 2030 only 81% of the world’s population will have access to safe drinking water at home, leaving 1.6 billion without; only 67% will have safe sanitation services, leaving 2.8 billion without while only 78% will have basic handwashing facilities, leaving 1.9 billion without.

The report also notes vast inequalities with vulnerable children and families suffering the most. To achieve universal access to safely managed drinking water by 2030. It points out that the current rate of progress in the Least Developed Countries would need to increase ten-fold.

“Even before the pandemic, millions of children and families were suffering without clean water, safe sanitation, and a place to wash their hands. Despite our impressive progress to date to scale-up these lifesaving services, the alarming and growing needs continue to outstrip our ability to respond. The time has come to dramatically accelerate our efforts to provide every child and family with the most basic needs for their health and well-being, including fighting off infectious diseases like COVID-19.” says Henrietta Fore UNICEF Executive Director.

The report notes that celebrating WASH coverage will require prioritization at the highest levels of decision making by international agencies, governments, civil society and the private sector. This is important in the context of the forthcoming mid-term review of the Water Action Decade in 2023

By Christian Conteh

Sexual and Gender based violence (SGBV) is one of the major problems affecting women and girls globally and in Sierra Leone specifically. Although every child deserves to grow up free from harm, the practice continues to end their childhood and ultimately risk their future.

According to a 2020 United Nations report on SGBV 1 in 3 women and girls will experience some form of sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. In Sierra Leone an estimated 62% of women age 15 to 49 report having experienced physical or sexual violence as indicated in the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS). It is feared that the emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic would increase the rates of SGBV, which are already very high in Sierra Leone.

The Crime Statistics from the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police indicates that a total of 3453 cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases were reported between January to December of 2020 with Freetown –East recording the highest, 948 followed by East 768, South 758, Freetown –West 484, North-East 317 and North-West 178.

Detective Inspector Lansana Tarawally is the unit’s Administrative Officer in Freetown. He says one of their challenges when investigating cases is mobility. Noting that the age limit of victims is getting disturbingly lower by the day.

“Out of the total of 3,453 cases 2,141 are currently under investigation, while 629 are kept in view. 609 have been charged to court and only 74 have been closed.” Detective Inspector Lansana Tarawally says.

Amidst these gloomy figures, with reported cases on the increase particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns, Sierra Leone has recorded historic progress in the fight against SGBV. According to the Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) 2019 annual report, out of 12,314 criminal cases, 3,252 were sexual penetration of minors, representing 26.4% of the total criminal activity reported in 2019.

That means that one out of four criminal cases in Sierra Leone in 2019 was sexual penetration of a minor. Western Urban and Rural areas accounted for 39.94% of all cases of sexual penetration in 2019. Women and girls represent over 99% of SGBV victims.
According to Charles Vandi, Director of Gender at the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, there are two existing cultures that continue to negatively impact the fight against SGBV. These are the rape culture and early marriage mentality, which appear too normal for too many Sierra Leoneans. Mr. Vandi explained that there is a nexus between female genital mutilation (F.G.M.) and SGBV.

Mr. Vandi stated that significant progress has been achieved in the fight against SGBV, this includes increase in the number of Family Support Units (FSU) from about 40 to over 70 centres currently; a toll free line (116) that can be accessed on all networks to report SGBV; establishment of one-stop centers in Kailahun, Pujehun, Port Loko, Koinadugu, Moyamba and the Western Urban district where survivors can receive free medical care and certificate to prove the assault is in a court of law. The setting up of the Sexual Offences Model Court by the Judiciary and the Sexual Offences Amendment Act, 2019 increased the penalty of sexual assault and penetration to life in prison.

Hannah Lahai is the manager at the One Stop Centre in Freetown. The centre contributes to addressing sexual and gender based violence cases through the provision of psychosocial counseling, free medical examination and treatment, legal support and access to safe homes.

She reveals that since the establishment of the One Stop Centre, they have recorded 84 cases. 8 of which were pregnant as a result of sexual penetration, ages between 13 to 16 years old, 1 HIV positive and 1 case successfully convicted. This increase in reported cases she attributes to the increased awareness.

Edwina Conteh is the Nursing Officer and in charge of the Reproductive Health Unit at the One Step Centre. She says when the unit was set up it received supplies from UNFPA to help in the examination and provision of medication for survivors. She however noted that since they ran out of supplies they have not received any to date.

The First Lady’s flagship campaign, ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ has also contributed significantly to increase awareness. “Women are now aware of SGBV and they are reporting. They know where to report,” Director Vandi in the country’s Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs stated.

“Women are aware, because of the laws, policies, and the institutional mechanism put in place, a lot of people now have the confidence to report. If the perpetrator is behind bars, the victim has more strength,” Mr. Vandi emphasized. However, this is not enough, and significant detractors at community level risk compromising the government’s efforts.

“The challenge is the culture of silence; a lot of people still do not want to report,” he explained, and that is mainly because cases of rape would usually linger in courts with no justice, while the survivor of the assault was exposed to shame, ridicule and stigma. Delay in justice and fear of stigma also make victims and their families vulnerable to bribes from the perpetrators.

“The poor people fear that even if they report, no one will take action,” Mr. Vandi stated. So, they would rather take the money, keep silence and stay away from community shame than risking going through a lengthy trial, shame and stigma.

Charles Vandi explained that SGBV can happen even among married couples, but women rarely report the abuse. At the University of Sierra Leone, six out of 10 students interviewed stated that they had been victims of SGBV, either in schools or community. One of them confessed that she was sexually abused by her teacher as a pupil. Another said that “we, as women, are not safe in these learning institutions, as our tutors’ demand sex from us, and whenever we refuse them, the environment becomes tight for us.”

In 2020, Rainbo Initiative, recorded 3,584 reported cases of SGBV across their five centers in Freetown, Makeni, Kono, Kenema and Bo. Of the total reported cases, 94% were survivors of sexual assault, including a 3-month old baby and a 100-year old woman. The report further revealed that 559 survivors were pregnant at the time they visited a Rainbo centre.

Mr. Vandi said that victims of SGBV should be encouraged to report perpetrators, because this is the only way to stop the crimes. Through the national referral mechanism, if a person believes they are a victim of SGBV, they can report the crime to the police, to a hospital, to the ministry or to the one-stop centers.

At the one-stop centers, survivors receive free medical examination, medical treatment, and the medical certificate to prove the assault if evidence is found. Moreover, survivors receive free psychosocial counseling, and legal services, as the police will launch an investigation and prosecute the case if sufficient evidence is uncovered. The government has only two safe houses or shelters for survivors of SGBV, in Freetown and Makeni, but partners have a few additional safe locations.

Moving forward, the government developed the National Male Involvement Strategy for Prevention of SGBV and the National Strategy for SGBV Response, with clear referral pathway. The new strategy adopts a socially transformative approach that seeks to accelerate implementation by encouraging the participation of men and boys as change agents and champions of women’s and girls’ rights, in their families, communities, schools and workplaces.

It encourages mitigating conflicts, sensitizing their peers and ensuring survivors receive appropriate services. “Over 99% of those sexual penetrated and exploited, abused, and harassed are women. The majority of abusers are men. We cannot leave them out of the solution,” Mr. Vandi emphasised.

UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has called on the youth of the nation to fulfill their promise of voting for him.

Mr Darboe insisted this is the only way to put him in office so he could also fulfill his promise of empowering them.

Mr Darboe told supporters on Monday, as broadcast live by Camaraba official: “We can make promises to you but if you can’t do anything that would enable us to fulfill those promises then our promises would only be promises.

“Make sure you fulfill your promise [of voting for him] on the 4th of December and before the inauguration you will we will also start implementing the promises we have made to you.”

President Adama Barrow’s political adviser Siaka Jatta has dismissed an audio message of him being sacked by President Barrow.

An audio message circulated suggesting the president slapped the official and sacked him from his government.

But according to Siaka Jatta, the person who recorded the audio should repent.

He said in Jamburr on Monday: “There are audios making the rounds saying President Barrow at his meeting in Brikama called me, insulted my mother, slapped me and asked me to leave his government. That he sacked me.

“Tell the person it’s not true. The person saying that doesn’t know the kind of person President Barrow is. He is an elder who is respectful and who respects human beings and their rights.

“How can someone who allows his officials to work without any interference insult one’s mother, slap you and sack you? Let the person repent.”

APRC deputy spokesman Dodou Jah has insisted those speaking ill of APRC’s political alliance with NPP are doing so out of fear.

APRC entering into an alliance with NPP for the December election has not gone down well in some quarters. Opposition parties and activists have all frowned at the alliance.

But APRC deputy spokesman Dodou Jah speaking at President Barrow’s meeting in Jambur on Monday said: “What I want to say regarding APRC-NPP-led alliance… There has been too much talk but it is caused by fear.

“Those castigating APRC today all wanted [to work with] APRC previously. I Dodou Jah knows something about it. A lot of them called me and requested that we should not support President Adama Barrow no matter what happens. I told them for us it is not about President Adama Barrow but what is good for The Gambia.”

Information Minister Ebrima Sillah has called on citizens of West Coast region to ignore the abuse on social media and focus on getting President Adama Barrow re-elected.

Mr Sillah made the call on Monday at President Barrow meet-the-people tour meeting in Jambur. Thousands of citizens attended the meeting.

Mr Sillah stated: “December 4th is judgement day. It’s the everyone will know themselves. And on December 5th we will be going with our drums dancing and go to meet President Barrow. We want to tell them (opposition) it is us who perfected the strategies they are operating by presently.

“We will not allow politics of betrayal. We want to tell the people of West Coast to be focused. Let them insult you, let them abuse you on social media. Social media does not vote in an election. It’s you the people who vote and so be focused and we elect President Adama Barrow on December 5th.”

Members of the Security subcommittee of the OICGambia Local Organization Committee have on Thursday returned from Turkey where they underwent a high-level intensive training programme in Security Planning and Management for International Events and Conferences.

A statement signed by OICGambia communication chief Nfally Fadera said: “The capacity-building activity was held under a technical assistance programme between the brotherly governments of The Gambia and the Republic of Turkey. Participants, numbering eleven (11), were drawn from the army, police, intelligence, fire and rescue service, aviation security, drug law enforcement agency, among others.

“The mission was a training of trainers. During our stay in Ankara, we were exposed to modern trends and techniques in counterterrorism, aviation security, explosive detection and disposal, among other crucial themes’’, said the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, who traveled with the delegation.

“The training will significantly enhance our ongoing planning and operations for the Summit by a huge margin.

“Security is a critical element of the ongoing preparation for the OIC Heads of State and Government scheduled to take place in Banjul in 2022. In its effort to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of the country’s security forces, the OIC Secretariat continues to facilitate the provision of security apparatuses/gears and capacity-building opportunities. Equipping the police will keep the streets of The Gambia safe before, during, and after the summit.”

Along similar lines, on Monday, the Secretariat launched a counter-terrorism training for 50 members of the police and other security services at the PIU headquarters in Kanifing.

Independent presidential aspirant Essa Faal has insisted his statements since joining the race for State House is not about education rather on simple understanding of life.

“If you speak they say Essa Faal is boasting he is educated. What I say is based on evidence. It’s not even about education but simple understanding of life. What they (leaders) are doing is not correct. If it was, we would all support them,” Mr Faal told supporters in Kerr Serign Sunday evening.

His comments come after critics lashed at him for claiming he is the best candidate as he is educated and accomplished unlike others.

Mr Faal had also derided the nation’s leaders saying they are least educated and it was time Gambians chose him as their leader.

United Democratic Party has raised 2.5 million dalasis at a fundraising event organised by UDP chapter in Washington, Seattle.

UDP organising secretary Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda in a tweet on Monday revealed the chapter raised 50,000 dollars.

“Your love for Gambia is appreciated,” Mayor Bensouda said in his tweet.

UDP will be one of the biggest political parties to contest the December election and money will play a big role in the party’s activities.

The party recently bought new pickup trucks worth millions of dalasis.

By Reuters

Mali could push back presidential and legislative elections from late February to avoid their validity being contested, its prime minister handling a post-coup transition said.

Mali’s progress back to democracy following the August 2020 overthrow of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is being closely monitored in a region that has experienced four coups in 13 months, two of them in Mali.

Under pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a regional bloc, Mali’s new military leaders agreed to an 18-month transition that would culminate with presidential and legislative elections on February 27, 2022.

But in an interview with Radio France International and France24 on Sunday, Mali’s interim prime minister, Choguel Maiga, said that date could be postponed by “two weeks, two months, a few months.”

“[The electoral calendar] was based on the requirements of ECOWAS without asking what practical steps must be taken to get there,” Maiga said. “The main thing for us is less to stick to Feb. 27 than to hold elections that will not be contested.”

Maiga said a final date would be determined by late October.

ECOWAS has not yet responded. Last month the bloc said it would impose sanctions, including asset freezes, on anyone holding up preparations for Mali’s elections.