Thousands Malians march in support of peace agreement

Thousands of Malians marched in Bamako on Tuesday in support of the Agreement for Peace and National Reconciliation that resulted from the Algiers process which was signed in Bamako on May 15, 2015.

The agreement was signed by the Malian government, the international community and all other armed groups except the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) which is a grouping of three major rebel groups in northern Mali.

Giving reasons for the march, the president of the Coordination of Civil Society Associations Adama Traore said the organization of the peaceful march "was in conformity with the agreement."

"It was meant to show that there is still much to be done," he said, adding that at least 200,000 people participated in the march.

The march which lasted for two hours, ended at the Place of Independence where paraders were received by Bamako leaders, officials of political parties and Mali's National Reconstruction Minister Zahabi Ould Sidi Mohamed.

Speaking on behalf of the government, the minister thanked all the paraders for their initiative which "demonstrates the commitment of all Malian children to their country's unity."

"I appeal to our brothers who have not yet signed the agreement to unconditionally sign it so that we can start the process of national reconciliation, the process of fighting against under- development which is our country's true enemy," Ould Sidi Mohamed said.

"It was a march through which Malians expressed their support for peace, the president of the republic, the government and all the actors who have been helping us to reinforce our country's unity," the minister concluded. Endi