Jonathan appointed special envoy by ECOWAS

Former Nigeria President, Goodluck 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.

Jonathan’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.

”As a special envoy, the former President is expected to facilitate dialogue with all principal stakeholders in Mali, including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, opposition leaders, civil society as well as religious organisations, towards resolving the worsening socio-political situation in the West African country”, the statement read in part.

Jonathan, who is billed to depart for Bamako, the Malian capital on Wednesday, also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the support of the Nigerian government, including providing an aircraft and other logistics needed to make the assignment successful.

He is expected to facilitate dialogue with all principal stakeholders in the West African country, including President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, civil society, religious organisations and opposition leaders, towards resolving the worsening socio-political situation in Mali.

Meanwhile, Jonathan’s appointment was communicated to him in a letter signed by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.

It said: “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.”

Mali has been hit by protests, sparked by the outcome of parliamentary elections in March and April.