Salif Keïta has been appointed adviser to the head of the junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta, according to a decree published on the evening of Monday, 14 August.
The recording artist is one of five people appointed as “special advisers” to the Malian head of state, according to the decree.
The text does not specify Keïta’s role in detail. A big name in Afropop and World Music, Keïta, 73, is also known for his political convictions and, since the advent of the colonels following the putsch in 2020, for his support for the junta.
Undisputed military ally
Keïta was appointed one week after his resignation from the Conseil national de transition, set up by the military to act as a legislative body.
“I will always remain an undisputed supporter of my country’s armed forces,” he said in his resignation letter, read out from the rostrum.
Keïta has publicly expressed his support for the authorities’ talk of sovereignty. A few months ago, he openly called for the departure of the UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA), which has since been officially announced by the UN Security Council.
(With AFP)
There's more to this story
Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.
cancel anytime
Already a a subscriber Sign In
