Mali’s defence minister and close ally to President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, was named prime minister of the West African war-torn nation this weekend.
Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga replaced Modibo Keita, according to a decree read on state television.
“The president of the republic, in accordance with the constitution, decrees that Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga is prime minister,” said the statement.
“The previous prime minister, Modibo Keita, had offered his resignation on Friday,” the decree stated.
Mali is suffering from political instability since a coup d’état in March 2012 overthrew its long-time president, Amadou Toumani Touré.
Bamako lost control of the northern region to extremist groups for around a year before it was reclaimed with the help of a French-led international military intervention.
Despite the UN having since deployed a large peacekeeping force in the north, Islamist militants have continued to conduct numerous attacks against local military and peacekeeping forces.
A week-long conference held under the auspices of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last month urged talks with jihadists in the country’s restive northern region.