His appointment was announced by the head of the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.
A letter quoted from Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said “I have the honour, in consultation with the Chair of the Authority, H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, President of the Republic of Niger, to communicate to you the decision to appoint you as Ecowas Special Envoy for the sociopolitical crisis in Mali.”
The ex-president by this appointment is expected to bring together major parties.