Presidential elections in Mali: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Soumaila Cisse
In Mali, it is the second time that Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Soumaïla Cisse clash for the second round of the presidential election. The two politicians have known each other for a long time and have been involved in politics for many years.
Back on the journey of these two men that many things gather and there is the man of the South and the man of the North.
If Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta is from Koutialia in the region of Sikasso, Soumaïla Cisse comes from Niafunke in the region of Timbuktu. During their studies, the two aspiring politicians may have met in Dakar on the university benches in the Senegalese capital. But if one has chosen the letters, the other goes to engineering and computer science.
On their return to the country, they engage in the same political party: ADEMA, the historic party of Mali founded at the fall of the dictatorship. Under the presidency of Alpha Oumar Konare, they are ministers in the same government. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is at Foreign Affairs when Soumaïla Cisse obtains the portfolio of Finances.
Neither for the one or the other, this 2018 poll will be their first experience of duels for the presidential election. If it is the third second round for Soumaïla Cisse ‘he was also qualified in 2002 and 2013’, it is the second time they compete for the highest office. In 2013, Soumaïla Cisse was beaten more than 70% by Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
