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LequteMan
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Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, at the opening of a forum on devolution in Bamako has urged refugees taking shelter in foreign countries to return for a new era of post-war reconstruction in the West African country.
He hailed the participation of Malian refugees from the neighbouring countries of Mauritania and Burkina Faso in the meeting, urging them to return for national reconstruction.
After a crisis broke out in March 2012, thousands of Malians had fled the country to take refuge in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
In another development, the residents of Gao, the biggest town in northern Mali, on Monday held a news conference denouncing those attending the Bamako forum on behalf of Gao.
“Mahamadou Toure, chief Arma and Aly Bady are all there. No one left for Bamako to represent Gao," said Hamaye Mahamane, the Vice- Chairman of the town's youth patriots group.
“We want to reaffirm that the people participating in the devolution forum in Bamako are only representing themselves.
“They left for Bamako without any memorandum that contains our grievances and demands," the residents told the conference presided over Katadata Alhousseyni, the spokesman for the association of Gao elders.
(Xinhua/NAN)
