Mali junta expects delay to February elections

Mali's military junta expects a small delay to presidential elections scheduled for February due to technical reasons, it said on Monday, promising a new timeline at a later date.

Mali had been expected to hold the first round of the vote on Feb. 4, 2024, and a second round two weeks later. The junta's statement said the decision to delay the vote - meant to return Mali to constitutional rule after military coups in Aug. 2020 and May 2021 - was due to several factors including a dispute with a French firm over a civil registry data base.