6 Apr 2014 17:22

New Malian PM will help cope with crisis - Margelov

MOSCOW. April 6 (Interfax) - Moussa Mara's appointment as Malian prime minister will facilitate the country's development as an independent state, said Russia's presidential envoy for Africa Mikhail Margelov.

"Mali's new prime minister is an experienced politician, who formed the Yelema Party (Party for Change) in 2010 and was President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita's rival in the presidential elections. His political experience and realism will hopefully help the Malian authorities, jointly with the militants, to start a coordinated implementation of the roadmap," Margelov told Interfax on Sunday.

He said that despite successes, scored by the Malian military, the situation remains extremely tense in the country's northern regions, controlled by the extremists and by the Tiareg separatists.

"In late February 2014, the delegation of Bamako to the UN Security Council discussed the road map principles with representatives of the government and militants in an attempt to forge ways to settle the crisis. The Malian government will have to exercise political wisdom in all its entirety in order to implement these principles," Margelov said.

"The new prime minister will help the Malian authorities to fulfill their election pledge to unite the country," he said.

Mara is a well educated person, Margelov said, adding that the cabinet he heads will manage to do a great deal of positive work.

Moussa Mara earlier held the post of minister for construction and urban development policy. He filled the vacant prime minister's post on Sunday after his predecessor, Oumar Tatam Ly, filed for resignation, failing to cope with the workload and was relieved of his duties.