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Assimi GoitaPresident of Mali since May 25, 2021
Date of Birth: .
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Content:
- Early Life and Military Career
- Special Forces and Transition
- 2020 Coup and Transition
- 2021 Coup and Presidency
- Extension of Transition and International Tensions
- Coup Attempt and Russian Support
Early Life and Military Career
Assimi Goïta was born in 1983 in Mali to an army captain. He grew up in Koulikoro, where his father had been transferred for duty. In 1992, Goïta enrolled in the Kati Military School, later attending the Koulikoro General Military School, where he specialized in armored warfare. He completed training courses in France and Germany.
After graduating in 2002, Goïta served in the desert region in northern Mali, initially in the 134th Reconnaissance Battalion in Gao. In 2005, he became deputy commander of the 123rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Kidal. In 2008, he was appointed commander of a mobile tactical group tasked with combating terrorist groups and drug traffickers along the Algerian border.
Special Forces and Transition
Goïta rose through the ranks of the Malian Special Forces, serving as head of the regiment's supply unit from 2011 to 2013. After successfully completing operations against Tuaregs in the northeastern regions, he was reassigned to the Special Forces. He underwent further training in Germany, the United States, and Gabon.
From 2014 to 2015, Goïta served as head of operations in the Malian Army's Ground Forces Staff. In 2015, he was transferred from the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of Security as coordinator of special operations following the Radisson Blu hotel terrorist attack. From 2016 to 2017, he led a Special Forces unit based in Sofara, coordinating tactical groups as part of Operation Barkhane against Islamist militants on the borders with Niger and Burkina Faso.
2020 Coup and Transition
At the time of the August 2020 military coup, Goïta was commander of the Autonomous Battalion of Special Forces and Training Centers (BAFS-CA). He was also deputy chief of the army staff, well-respected within the military and known for his calmness and accessibility to enlisted personnel.
On August 19, Goïta was appointed chairman of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), which had seized power after overthrowing the government. The coup was widely supported by the public, who had been protesting against the former government.
After three days of negotiations with an ECOWAS delegation, the CNSP and the civilian authorities failed to reach an agreement on a transitional period. On August 24, the CNSP declared Goïta head of state. He dissolved the military-political body once the new parliament was established.
In September 2020, Goïta was appointed vice president, taking the oath on September 25. The transitional charter stipulated that neither the president nor vice president could run in the subsequent presidential elections.
2021 Coup and Presidency
On May 25, 2021, Goïta announced his intention to remove President Bah N'Daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, accusing them of "sabotaging the transition." On May 28, the Constitutional Court declared him interim president "until the conclusion of the transition processes."
Goïta appointed Choguel Kokalla Maïga, a member of the opposition Movement of June 5-Rally of Patriotic Forces, as prime minister and sought support from the National Union of Malian Workers. The French government announced the withdrawal of its troops from Mali as part of Operation Barkhane.
Extension of Transition and International Tensions
In December 2021, the National Assembly for the Renaissance proposed extending the transition from six months to five years for political reforms. Goïta supported the proposal and announced plans for a constitutional referendum in 2024, parliamentary and senatorial elections in 2025, and presidential elections in 2026.
In response, ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Mali, including border closures, withdrawal of ambassadors, and an economic blockade. In February 2022, the transition charter was amended to extend the transition indefinitely. Goïta was also barred from participating in future presidential elections unless he resigned.
Coup Attempt and Russian Support
In May 2022, a coup attempt against Goïta was thwarted by loyal troops. Mali continued to strengthen its ties with Russia, seeking military assistance amid regional tensions.
