auto-update week 17

africa/ml.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "Introduction": {
     "Background": {
-      "text": "<p>Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century it fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms.  The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center and well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms.</p> <p>France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. President Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who won a second term in 2007.</p> <p>In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters - some linked to Al-Qa’ida - from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With French military intervention, the Malian Government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups continuously trying to expand control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a June 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Extremist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common.  </p> <p>Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In August 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). In September 2020, the junta established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allows it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election.  <br><br>In May 2021, Colonel Assimi GOITA arrested the interim president in a second coup in an effort to slow election preparations, claiming that the transition government needed to prioritize improving security before elections occur. In June 2021, Mali’s military transitional leaders appointed Choguel Kokalla MAIGA as prime minister.<br><br></p>"
+      "text": "<p>Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century it fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms.  The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center and well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms.</p> <p>France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. President Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who won a second term in 2007.</p> <p>In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters - some linked to Al-Qa’ida - from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With French military intervention, the Malian Government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups continuously trying to expand control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a June 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Extremist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common.  </p> <p>Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In August 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). In September 2020, the junta established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allowed it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election.  <br><br>In May 2021, Colonel Assimi GOITA led a military takeover, arresting the interim president after a Cabinet shake up removed Goita’s key allies. Goita was sworn in as transition president in June 2021 and Choguel Kokalla MAIGA was sworn in as prime minister. In January 2022, ECOWAS imposed sanctions against the transition government and member states closed their borders after the transition government presented a five-year extension to the electoral calendar. ECOWAS and the transition government continue to work to negotiate an acceptable electoral calendar.</p>"
     }
   },
   "Geography": {
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@
         "text": "several previous; latest drafted August 1991, approved by referendum 12 January 1992, effective 25 February 1992, suspended briefly in 2012"
       },
       "amendments": {
-        "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by members of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional sections on the integrity of the state, its republican and secular form of government, and its multiparty system cannot be amended; note - in early 2021, Prime Minister Moctar OUANE called for adopting a new constitution"
+        "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by members of the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional sections on the integrity of the state, its republican and secular form of government, and its multiparty system cannot be amended; note - the transition government intends to adopt a new constitution"
       }
     },
     "Legal system": {
@@ -598,16 +598,16 @@
     },
     "Executive branch": {
       "chief of state": {
-        "text": "Transitional President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)<br><br>note: an August 2020 coup d'etat deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA; on 21 September 2020, a group of 17 electors chosen by the Malian military junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and led by Colonel Assimi GOITA, selected Bah NDAW as transitional president; GOITA served as vice president of the transitional government which was inaugurated on 25 September 2020; Vice President GOITA seized power on 25 May 2021; NDAW resigned on 26 May 2021"
+        "text": "Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)<br><br>note: an August 2020 coup d'etat deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA; on 21 September 2020, a group of 17 electors chosen by the Malian military junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and led by Colonel Assimi GOITA, selected Bah NDAW as transition president; GOITA served as vice president of the transitional government which was inaugurated on 25 September 2020; Vice President GOITA seized power on 25 May 2021; NDAW resigned on 26 May 2021"
       },
       "head of government": {
-        "text": "Transitional Prime Minister Choguel MAIGA (appointed by Transitional President Assimi GOITA on 7 June 2021)<br><br>note: former Prime Minister Moctar OUANE was arrested and detained by the military on 24 May 2021 and resigned on 26 May 2021"
+        "text": "Transition Prime Minister Choguel MAIGA (appointed by Transitional President Assimi GOITA on 7 June 2021)<br><br>note: former transition Prime Minister Moctar OUANE was arrested and detained by the military on 24 May 2021 and resigned on 26 May 2021"
       },
       "cabinet": {
         "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister"
       },
       "elections/appointments": {
-        "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 July 2018 with runoff on 12 August 2018; prime minister appointed by the president; note - on 21 February 2022, the transitional government adopted a charter allowing transitional authorities to rule for up to 5 years; thereafter Transitional President GOITA is barred from being a candidate in presidential elections."
+        "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 July 2018 with runoff on 12 August 2018; prime minister appointed by the president; note - on 21 February 2022, the transition government adopted a charter allowing transition authorities to rule for up to 5 years; thereafter transition President GOITA is barred from being a candidate in presidential elections."
       },
       "election results": {
         "text": "Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 22.4%"
@@ -615,10 +615,10 @@
     },
     "Legislative branch": {
       "description": {
-        "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; 13 seats reserved for citizens living abroad; members serve 5-year terms)<br><br>note - the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and the resignation of President KEITA"
+        "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; 13 seats reserved for citizens living abroad; members serve 5-year terms)<br><br>note - the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and the resignation of President KEITA; note - the transition government created a National Transition Council (CNT) whose 121 members were selected by then-transition vice president Assimi GOITA; the CNT acts as the transition government's legislative body with Malick DIAW serving as the president; in February 2022 the CNT increased the number of seats to 147 but the additional seats have not yet been filled"
       },
       "elections": {
-        "text": "last held on 30 March and 19 April 2020 (next scheduled for 27 February 2022)"
+        "text": "last held on 30 March and 19 April 2020"
       },
       "election results": {
         "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA composition - NA"
@@ -636,14 +636,14 @@
       }
     },
     "Political parties and leaders": {
-      "text": "African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO]<br>Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ [Tiemoko SANGARE]<br>Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba [Amadou THIAM]<br>Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]<br>Alternative Forces for Renewal and Emergence or FARE [Modibo SIDIBE]<br>Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni Amion GUINDO]<br>Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba [Aliou Boubacar DIALLO]<br>Economic and Social Development Party or PDES [Jamille BITTAR]<br>Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (coalition of smaller opposition parties)<br>National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]<br>Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]<br>Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel Kokalla MAIGA]<br>Rally for Mali or RPM [Boucary TRETA]<br>Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Younoussi TOURE]"
+      "text": "African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO]<br>Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ [Tiemoko SANGARE]<br>Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba [Amadou THIAM]<br>Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP [Amadou CISSE] (vice-president, acting)<br>Alternative Forces for Renewal and Emergence or FARE [Modibo SIDIBE]<br>Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni Amion GUINDO]<br>Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba [Aliou Boubacar DIALLO]<br>Economic and Social Development Party or PDES [Jamille BITTAR]<br>Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (coalition of smaller opposition parties)<br>National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]<br>Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]<br>Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel Kokalla MAIGA]<br>Rally for Mali or RPM [Boucary TRETA]<br>Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Younoussi TOURE]"
     },
     "International organization participation": {
-      "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO"
+      "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, ECOWAS (suspended), EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO"
     },
     "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
       "chief of mission": {
-        "text": "Ambassador Mahamadou NIMAGA (since 22 June 2018)"
+        "text": "Ambassador (appointed) Sekou BERTHE (since April 2022)"
       },
       "chancery": {
         "text": "2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
@@ -1069,10 +1069,10 @@
     },
     "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
       "total": {
-        "text": "243,806 (2020)"
+        "text": "243,806 (2021)"
       },
       "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
-        "text": "1.2 (2020 est.)"
+        "text": "1.2 (2021)"
       }
     }
   },
@@ -1122,7 +1122,7 @@
       }
     },
     "Heliports": {
-      "text": "2 (2013)"
+      "text": "2 (2021)"
     },
     "Railways": {
       "total": {
@@ -1181,7 +1181,7 @@
       "text": "Mali is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane&nbsp;"
     },
     "Military - note": {
-      "text": "prior to the coups in August 2020 and May 2021, the Malian military had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960; two attempts failed (1976 and 1978), while three succeeded in overturning civilian rule (1968, 1991, and 2012); the military collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants; it has been since rebuilt, but continues to have limited capabilities and is heavily reliant on external assistance <br><br>as of 2022, Malian security forces were conducting operations against insurgents and terrorist groups in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country<br><br>the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has operated in the country since 2013; the Mission's responsibilities include providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; as of November 2021, MINUSMA had around 18,000 personnel deployed; in June 2021, MINUSMA's mission was extended until the end of June 2022<br><br>the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM-M) and the French military have also operated in the country since 2013; the EUTM-M provides advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces and military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force; as 2021, the mission included almost 700 personnel from 25 European countries; as of early 2022, the French had approximately 2,400 troops providing military assistance and conducting counter-terrorism/counter-insurgency operations; note - in February 2022, France announced it would remove its personnel from Mali, citing obstructions from the ruling military government; in April of 2022, the EU said it would halt its training program in Mali"
+      "text": "prior to the coups in August 2020 and May 2021, the Malian military had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960; two attempts failed (1976 and 1978), while three succeeded in overturning civilian rule (1968, 1991, and 2012); the military collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants; it has been since rebuilt, but continues to have limited capabilities and is heavily reliant on external assistance <br><br>as of 2022, Malian security forces were conducting operations against insurgents and terrorist groups in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country<br><br>the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has operated in the country since 2013; the Mission's responsibilities include providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; as of February 2022, MINUSMA had around 14,000 personnel deployed<br><br>the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM-M) and the French military have also operated in the country since 2013; the EUTM-M provides advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces and military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force; as 2021, the mission included almost 700 personnel from 25 European countries; as of early 2022, the French had approximately 2,400 troops providing military assistance and conducting counter-terrorism/counter-insurgency operations; note - in February 2022, France announced it would remove its personnel from Mali, citing obstructions from the ruling military government; in April of 2022, the EU said it would halt its training program in Mali"
     }
   },
   "Terrorism": {