Interim Malian leader, Colonel Bah N'daw, has lauded the role played by the ECOWAS Chairman, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in resolving the political crisis in his country.

Col. Bah N'daw, at a meeting held at the Malian government seat on Sunday, said the proactiveness of President Akufo-Addo soon after his election as the regional bloc's head, had led to the settlement of the deadlock in Mali.

President Akufo-Addo on being announced Chairman of the ECOWAS hit the ground running, convening a meeting at the Peduase Lodge near Accra at which all the parties and stakeholders in the impasse were invited to find an amicable solution to the situation in the West African nation.

At the end the meeting, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State, pressed the Military Junta that overthrew the country's constitutionally elected leader, Mr Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, last August through a bloodless coup, to return the country swiftly to civilian rule.

It asked the leadership of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP)-the military Junta- to immediately nominate two civilians as President and Prime minister respectively, to oversee the transition process, which should not go beyond a period of 18 months.

ECOWAS also pledged to.remove sanctions placed on the country soon after those set conditions were met. And following the current developments in Mali, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State has lifted the punitive measures on the country in order to support the handover to civilian rule, and the process of restoring full democracy to Mali.

The Malian Interim leader told President Akufo-Addo that with country expected to return to civilian rule in 18 months time, he had appointed 25 persons to steer the affairs of the country with the objective of returning the country onto the path of multi-party democracy.

President Akufo-Addo thanked the leadership of the interim Government of Mali for their decision to work hand-in-hand with ECOWAS towards returning the country fully to civilian rule.

He assured the Malian head of the unalloyed co-operation of ECOWAS towards the progress and development of that country, and, ultimately, the enhancement of the standards of the Malian people.

President Akufo-Addo also held private meetings with the Vice President, Colonel Assimi Goita; the Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane.

He also held meetings with Members of the Diplomatic Corps, as well as with members of the Ghanaian Community in Mali.

Mr. N’DAW, a retired Colonel Major and former Minister of Defence, was sworn in as President of the Transition on 25th August, before the Supreme Court, along with Colonel Assimi Goïta, head of the junta, as Vice-President of the Transition in charge of Defence and Security.