Who Ibrahim Boubacar Keita or Soumaila Cisse will be called to preside over the destinies of Mali? This Sunday, August 11, some 6.9 million voters Mali will have to decide between the two finalists in the presidential election, which, in the absence of pre-program cis, seem to further highlight their personality as their vision of the country for the five years to come.

The burning issues, however, are not lacking in this country economically paralyzed from the military coup of 22 March 2012 that toppled President Amadou Toumani Toure (ATT). Endemic corruption, disobedience of the army, Tuareg separatists jolts northern and jihadist threat … The ability of the next head of state to quickly address these questions depends longevity in power.

Economic reconstruction

These are the reins of a nation just emerging from war that inherit the future Malian leader. Pointing country before the war, the 175th (out of 187) of the classification developed by the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP), Mali's GDP to contract by 1.5% during the events of 2012. A decline would have been even more so without revenues, including the exploitation of gold mines in South untouched by the fighting.

"The reconstruction especially for the north, where the Islamist insurgency and the French intervention destroyed the entire infrastructure of the three major cities of Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal, observes Michel Galy, professor of gen , opolitique the Institute of International Relations in Paris. But after reconstruction comes time development. For over 30 years, if not 50, nothing has been done to the north, where thousands of CFA francs invested were scattered in the sands of corruption. In this region, especially in the Tuareg villages, there are no schools, no wells, no roads, no health centers. Everything is done. "

"Malians expect the next president homogenization of wealth between the center and the outskirts of the north and south of the country abounds Emmanuel Dupuy, a specialist in international relations in the prospective Institute and Security in Europe (IPSE) he leads. The new government will work towards the development of Mali basement designate foreign companies can operate and then distribute the windfall across the country . "

Aware that regional inequalities are a source of instability, the international community has also conditioned the granting of its 3 billion euros of aid that they are equitably distributed s, especially in the North.

It is also necessary that the northern half, cut the rest of the country during the Islamic occupation, or with institutions capable of managing money. "The economic recovery through the restoration of administrative bases throughout the country. This is one of the major challenges of the future head of state ", Emmanuel Dupuy analysis.

National reconciliation

Halved after the coup jihadists, which was then associated with the Tuareg rebellion, Mali has again its territorial sovereignty since the military intervention French in early 2013. Nevertheless, in some parts of the North, including in Kidal, the Tuareg irredentism experiencing some turbulence. "The Tuareg rebels were present in five countries in Mali but they represent only a residual military force, says Michel Galy. They remained neutral during the campaign mainly because they expect the release of new negotiations that the future president will have to organize, under the terms of the preliminary peace agreement, within 60 days after election to define the status of the Azawad claimed by the rebels. "area

Weakened, divided, the Tuareg separatist movement has much to do for the autonomy of the region. "It will be difficult for the new president to give their view of the nationalist turn What made the campaign. At best, the MNLA [National Liberation Movement of Azawad] may benefit from decentralization, which would apply to the whole country. "

For experts, the Tuareg issue, however, is only part of the reconquest of national unity. "The head of state should make an extra effort vis-à-vis all the Malian people and not just Touareg MNLA says Emmanuel Dupuy. From a political point of view, it must involve the losers of the election. In view of the irregularities that took place during the first round, it may be that the president is elected with a number, after all, limited voice. The weakness of the score so the force to agree with the representatives of other political parties to form a government. To meet the country and meet its challenges, the president whatsoever must find a way to reach some sort of national consensus. "

This strategy may prove to be risky. "If the new president based his power on the consensus, then enroll in the right policy of former President ATT online. And it is this that caused his fall, says André Bourgeot, director of research at CNRS. Meanwhile, Malians ask the next president to establish strong institutions capable, for example, to fight corruption. But this does not happen on the political mégotage. "

The role of the army

Although they quickly left office after the coup, the military, who love nothing less than to feel abandoned by the state, remain a source of instability in a country accustomed , to coups. "The new government will have to consider how to restore the concept of a republican army, which is not yet complete. It is a work reorganization can take time, "says André Bourgeot. "The real challenge is to remind the military obligations and duties of protecting the sovereignty of Mali," insists his part Emmanuel Dupuy.

But then, the Malian armed forces are not the only ones to carry out this mission. Since the war, some 12,000 foreign soldiers, including 3,000 French still are deployed on the territory under the International Support Mission in Mali (Misma). Support which, for many observers, can be interpreted as a trusteeship Malian military. "The president must show that his army can perform the same tasks that foreign troops and will work for a better division of labor between international forces and soldiers Malian, "said Emmanuel Dupuy.

But for the researcher, rather than the army, is a Malian youth who might oppose frontally new power. "It is feared that this impromptu election inadequately prepared and organized in a hurry does not meet the challenges of rejuvenation and urbanization of its population . Discontent may occur otherwise, not necessarily by a coup. I think qu'IBK as Cissé know that if they are elected, their terms will not be a mandate that will lead to an end. "