Assimi Goïta

Colonel Assimi Goïta (born c. 1983) is a Malian military officer and the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, a military junta that seized power from former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in the 2020 Malian coup d'état.[1]

Colonel Assimi Goïta
Vice President of Mali
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 September 2020
President	Bah Ndaw
Preceded by	Malick Diaw
Chairman of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People of Mali
In office 19 August 2020 – 25 September 2020
Prime Minister	Vacant
Preceded by	Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (President)
Succeeded by	Bah Ndaw (Interim President)
Personal details
Born	c. 1983 (age 37–38) Mali
Alma mater	École militaire interarmes de Koulikoro Prytanée militaire de Kati
Military service
Allegiance	Mali
Branch/service	Malian Armed Forces
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Autonomous Special Forces Battalion
Battles/wars	Mali War

Biography

Assimi Goïta was born in 1983.[2] Son of an officer of the Malian Armed Forces,[3] he was trained in the military academies of Mali and notably attended the Prytanée militaire de Kati and the Combined Arms Military School in Koulikoro.[4]

Goïta served as a Colonel in the Autonomous Special Forces Battalion, the special forces unit of the Malian Armed Forces.[5] He heads the Malian special forces in the center of the country with the rank of colonel. He is thus confronted with the jihadist insurgency in Mali.[6] Goïta serves as the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, a group of rebels who have pledged to initiate new elections to replace Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.[7][8] On 21 September he was named vice president by a group of 17 electors, with Bah Ndaw being appointed president.[9] He is appointed Vice-President of the Transition on September 21, 2020.[10] The oath of office takes place on September 25, 2020.[11][12]

Goïta received training from the United States, France, and Germany, and had experience working with United States Army Special Forces.[13]

References

1. "El coronel Assimi Goita, designado nuevo hombre fuerte de Mali tras el golpe" [Colonel Assimi Goita appointed Mali's new strongman after the coup]. efe.com (in Spanish). 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
2. "Qui est Assimi Goïta, le chef de la junte au Mali" [Who is Assimi Goïta, the head of the junta in Mali]. malicanal.com (in French). Retrieved 31 August 2020.
3. "Qui est le colonel Assimi Goïta, à la tête de la junte militaire au Mali?" [Who is Colonel Assimi Goïta, at the head of the military junta in Mali?]. rfi.fr (in French). 21 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
4. "Qui est le colonel Assimi Goita, nouvel homme fort du Mali après le putsch militaire?" [Who is Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali's new strongman after the military putsch?] (in French). L'Express. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
5. "In Mali, Colonel Assimi Goita is put in charge of the rebels | tellerreport.com". tellerreport.com. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
6. "Coup d'Etat au Mali: l'Afrique de l'Ouest se penche sur une situation "grave"" [Coup d'Etat in Mali: West Africa looks into a "serious" situation] (in French). Le Point. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020..
7. Maclean, Ruth; Peltier, Elian (19 August 2020). "Mali Coup Leaders Pledge Democracy After Deposing President". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
8. Hashmi, Faizan (19 August 2020). "Mali Rebels Choose Col. Assimi Goita As Leader - Reports". UrduPoint. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
9. "Bah Ndaw named Mali's interim president, colonel named VP". Al Jazeera. 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
10. "Mali: l'ex-ministre de la Défense Bah N'Daw désigné président de transition" [Mali: former Minister of Defense Bah N'Daw appointed transitional president] (in French). RFI. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020..
11. "Mali: un ancien ministre de la Défense désigné président de transition du Mali" [Mali: a former Minister of Defense appointed transitional president of Mali]. french.china.org.cn (in French). 22 September 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
12. "Mali: le président de la transition, Bah N'Daw, a prêté serment" [Mali: the president of the transition, Bah N'Daw, is sworn in] (in French). RFI. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
13. Paquette, Danielle (21 August 2020). "Mali coup leader was trained by U.S. military, officers say". msn.com. The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 August 2020.