The African Union has applauded the announcement made by the transitional government of Mali to convene a constitutional referendum to adopt the new constitution, its commission said in a statement.
"The Chairperson of the African Union Commission [Moussa Faki Mahamat] commends all efforts afforded by the Transition Authorities, including the establishment of the Independent Electoral Organ and respective mechanisms aimed at ascertaining the timeous and effective operationalization of the transition calendar," the statement stressed.
According to Mahamat, Malian political leaders should maintain openness to all political and social actors so that they can cooperate to achieve a successful referendum.
"The chairperson calls on Malian political actors, religious groups and other stakeholders to constructively engage the transitional authorities towards building an inclusive, democratic and capable state," the AU Commission said in a statement.
The head of AU Commission also appealed to all national stakeholders to contribute to the success of the referendum by putting the interests of the country first.
The military government that came to power in Mali in a military coup in May 2021 had previously extended the transitional period until March 26, 2024.
After the coup, the transitional government promised to return civilian rule in the country. However, the constitutional referendum in Mali, initially set for March 19, 2023, has been postponed as the country had to establish representations of the election management body in all regions of the country.
On May 5, the military government of Mali announced that a referendum on a new constitution would be held on June 18 in a decree read on national television by a government spokesman.
The constitutional referendum is viewed as an important step toward elections scheduled for 2024, which are expected to herald the return to civilian rule.