Col Assimi Goïta, the leader of Mali’s junta, has officially been sworn in as the country’s interim president and promised “credible, fair and transparent elections”. These are expected in February next year.

Two weeks ago he had removed the transitional president and prime minister in a coup – the second he’d engineered in nine months.

Events in Mali have drawn condemnation from its ECOWAS neighbours and the African Union – both of whom suspended Mali’s membership. Meanwhile France has halted joint military operations with Mali.S