Former Malian foreign minister Moctar Ouane has been named prime minister by the country's interim president Bah Ndaw, state television announced Sunday.

Ouane, 64, served as foreign minister between 2004 and 2011 during Amadou Toumani Toure's presidency.&nbsp;

The members of the new PM's government will be unveiled Tuesday, an officer from the military junta in power since Mali's August 18 coup told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Mali's neighbours in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had insisted that the junta name a civilian to the job of government chief after former colonel and defence minister Bah Ndaw was installed.

A civilian PM was the precondition for ECOWAS to lift sanctions it imposed two days after the coup removing president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, which the junta claims inflicted no casualties.

Ndaw was sworn in Friday before Mali's supreme court with junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita as his deputy, placing Goita in charge of defence and security issues.

Former Malian foreign minister Moctar Ouane has been named prime minister by the country's interim president Bah Ndaw, state television announced Sunday. Ouane, 64, served as foreign minister between 2004 and 2011 during Amadou Toumani Toure's presidency.

Former Malian foreign minister Moctar Ouane has been named prime minister by the country's interim president Bah Ndaw, state television announced Sunday. Ouane, 64, served as foreign minister between 2004 and 2011 during Amadou Toumani Toure's presidency. The members of the new PM's government will be unveiled Tuesday, an officer from the military junta in power since Mali's August 18 coup told AFP on condition of anonymity. Mali's neighbours in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had insisted that the junta name a civilian to the job of government chief after former colonel and defence minister Bah Ndaw was installed. A civilian PM was the precondition for ECOWAS to lift sanctions it imposed two days after the coup removing president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, which the junta claims inflicted no casualties. Ndaw was sworn in Friday before Mali's supreme court with junta chief Colonel Assimi Goita as his deputy, placing Goita in charge of defence and security issues.

Former Mali foreign minister Moctar Ouane named transitional premier

The junta that seized power in Mali wants a military-led transitional body to rule for three years and has agreed to release ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a source in a visiting West African delegation said Sunday.

"The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state," a source in the ECOWAS delegation in capital Bamako told AFP.

"The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers" under the junta's proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The source added that the junta has agreed to "free president Keita", who has been detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he "will be able to return to his home" in Bamako.

"And if he wants to travel abroad for treatment, that is not a problem," the ECOWAS source said.

Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, who has been detained with Keita at a military base outside the capital where the coup began, would be moved to a secure residence in the city, the source said.

A junta official confirmed to AFP the decisions on the fate of Keita and Cisse, as well as that "the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers".

The coup followed months of protests calling for Keita to resign as public discontent with the government grew over the country's brutal Islamist insurgency and collapsing economy.

While it was met by international condemnation, thousands of opposition supporters celebrated the president's ouster in the streets of Bamako.

The junta has said it "completed the work" of the protesters and has vowed to stage elections "within a reasonable time".

However Mali's neighbours have called for Keita to be reinstated, saying the purpose of the visit by the delegation from the regional ECOWAS bloc was to help "ensure the immediate return of constitutional order".

Tuesday's coup was Mali's second in eight years, and has heightened concern over regional stability as its jihadist insurgency that now threatens neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

The junta that seized power in Mali wants a military-led transitional body to rule for three years and has agreed to release ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a source in a visiting West African delegation said Sunday.

The junta that seized power in Mali wants a military-led transitional body to rule for three years and has agreed to release ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a source in a visiting West African delegation said Sunday. "The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state," a source in the ECOWAS delegation in capital Bamako told AFP. "The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers" under the junta's proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity. The source added that the junta has agreed to "free president Keita", who has been detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he "will be able to return to his home" in Bamako. "And if he wants to travel abroad for treatment, that is not a problem," the ECOWAS source said. Prime Minister Boubou Cisse, who has been detained with Keita at a military base outside the capital where the coup began, would be moved to a secure residence in the city, the source said. A junta official confirmed to AFP the decisions on the fate of Keita and Cisse, as well as that "the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers". The coup followed months of protests calling for Keita to resign as public discontent with the government grew over the country's brutal Islamist insurgency and collapsing economy. While it was met by international condemnation, thousands of opposition supporters celebrated the president's ouster in the streets of Bamako. The junta has said it "completed the work" of the protesters and has vowed to stage elections "within a reasonable time". However Mali's neighbours have called for Keita to be reinstated, saying the purpose of the visit by the delegation from the regional ECOWAS bloc was to help "ensure the immediate return of constitutional order". Tuesday's coup was Mali's second in eight years, and has heightened concern over regional stability as its jihadist insurgency that now threatens neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Mali junta wants military rule for three years, agrees to free president

Talks on finding a political solution to Mali's deepening crisis ended Sunday with calls to hold new elections and revise the country's constitution, an AFP journalist said.

But the gathering notably did not urge dialogue with jihadists, who have been waging a bloody insurgency in the troubled West African country for seven years.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita convened the "national inclusive dialogue" on December 14 in a bid to regain momentum after a recent surge of ethnic and jihadist violence, although the talks were boycotted by most opposition groups.

Islamists have killed more than 140 Malian troops since September, in a widening insurgency that has also inflamed bloodshed between Fulani herders and sedentary farmers in the country's centre.

The jihadist attacks form part of a Sahel-wide insurgency which national armed forces, backed by 4,500 French troops and UN peacekeepers, are struggling to contain.&nbsp;

The failure to find a military solution to the violence has encouraged a feeling that dialogue with the jihadists is the way out of the crisis.

Keita made no reference to possible dialogue on Sunday, however, despite many delegates backing the option during this week's talks.&nbsp;

Both the government in the capital Bamako and former colonial power France have repeatedly ruled out dialogue with jihadists.

Keita said on Sunday that this week's talks were the "start of a long period during which we must bring about the rebirth of Mali".

"Our country cannot be a drunken ship," he said at a closing ceremony in Bamako attended by some 3,000 people.

The talks were in part meant to reconcile a divided political class in Mali.&nbsp;

But in a display of how deep the fracture runs, most opposition groups in the country snubbed the exercise, an AFP journalist said, citing distrust of Keita.

However, some did attend, including the Coordination of Azawad Movements, an alliance of rebel groups that signed a peace agreement with Bamako in 2015.

The talks concluded with recommendations to hold legislative elections before May 2020, and a referendum on revising the constitution.&nbsp;

A 2017 proposal to reform the constitution to deliver more decentralisation has been blocked by opposition parties in parliament.

Talks on finding a political solution to Mali's deepening crisis ended Sunday with calls to hold new elections and revise the country's constitution, an AFP journalist said.

Talks on finding a political solution to Mali's deepening crisis ended Sunday with calls to hold new elections and revise the country's constitution, an AFP journalist said. But the gathering notably did not urge dialogue with jihadists, who have been waging a bloody insurgency in the troubled West African country for seven years. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita convened the "national inclusive dialogue" on December 14 in a bid to regain momentum after a recent surge of ethnic and jihadist violence, although the talks were boycotted by most opposition groups. Islamists have killed more than 140 Malian troops since September, in a widening insurgency that has also inflamed bloodshed between Fulani herders and sedentary farmers in the country's centre. The jihadist attacks form part of a Sahel-wide insurgency which national armed forces, backed by 4,500 French troops and UN peacekeepers, are struggling to contain. The failure to find a military solution to the violence has encouraged a feeling that dialogue with the jihadists is the way out of the crisis. Keita made no reference to possible dialogue on Sunday, however, despite many delegates backing the option during this week's talks. Both the government in the capital Bamako and former colonial power France have repeatedly ruled out dialogue with jihadists. Keita said on Sunday that this week's talks were the "start of a long period during which we must bring about the rebirth of Mali". "Our country cannot be a drunken ship," he said at a closing ceremony in Bamako attended by some 3,000 people. The talks were in part meant to reconcile a divided political class in Mali. But in a display of how deep the fracture runs, most opposition groups in the country snubbed the exercise, an AFP journalist said, citing distrust of Keita. However, some did attend, including the Coordination of Azawad Movements, an alliance of rebel groups that signed a peace agreement with Bamako in 2015. The talks concluded with recommendations to hold legislative elections before May 2020, and a referendum on revising the constitution. A 2017 proposal to reform the constitution to deliver more decentralisation has been blocked by opposition parties in parliament.

Mali crisis talks end urging new elections and constitution