Mohamed Ould Matali, an influential figure in the Nordic region, was appointed special adviser to the president of CNT, the body that plays the role of legislator, during the transition in Mali after the coup last month in August last week. However, Mohamed Ould Matali is under UN sanctions because of his alleged links to organized crime in northern Mali, which he has always denied.
as reported from Bamako, Serge Daniel
Among the seven special advisers recently appointed by the President of the Transitional National Council, which is the legislative body, a name is particularly well-known, that of Mohamed Ould Matali. He is a former member of the former ruling party. He is also an influential man in northern Mali. Originally from the Gao region, he is preparing to hold an important community meeting there.
But since 2019, Ould Matali has also been the subject of UN sanctions, accusing him of his involvement through economic interests in illegal trade. The person has formally denied these allegations and insisted in particular that he has never been involved in drug trafficking. In any case, according to Colonel Malick Diaw, president of the CNT, Ould Matali, “is a patriot who deserves to be a special adviser to work for Mali”.
With his title as Special Adviser, the man who is also influential in the armed platform that supports the state is entitled to a diplomatic passport. But he will probably have a hard time traveling. In addition to the freezing of its assets, UN sanctions include a ban on regular air travel.
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