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Military Reform – 1996

A serious blow was dealt to military reform as the elected government was ousted in a military coup on 27 January 1996. Nevertheless, Mohamed Ekiji, the leader of the Coordinating Body of the Armed Resistance (CRA), which was one of the parties to sign the 1995 peace agreement, said that the coup could represent “an opportunity”. According to the news report, the rebel leader believed that the military was in the best position to achieve a lasting peace and the government had been a mere interlocutor between the rebel and the army.¹

Mixed security patrols were introduced in 1996. Furthermore, in December a protocol was concluded covering the integration of ex-combatants into the regular armed forces.²

1. “Tuareg leader welcomes coup as chance for peace; French intervention ruled out,” BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, January 31, 1996.
2. “Review of the Mali/Niger Repatriation and Reintegration Programme,” UNHCR, 1998, accessed January 10, 2011, http://www.unhcr.org/3ae6bd488.html.