Assimi Goita (1983-) was the military head of state of Mali from 19 August to 25 September 2020 (succeeding Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and preceding Bah Ndaw) and from 26 May 2021 (succeeding Ndaw). He seized power from Keita in the 2020 Malian coup d'etat, and from his former colleague Ndaw in the 2021 Malian coup d'etat.
Biography[]
Assimi Goita was born in Mali in 1983, the son of a Malian Army officer. He was trained by the United States, France, and Germany and worked with the US Army special forces before becoming Colonel of the Malian Army's Autonomous Special Forces Battalion during the Malian Civil War. In August 2020, he launched a coup against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita amid anti-corruption protests, and he formed the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. On 21 September 2020, he stepped down as head of state and let Bah Ndaw take over as head of state, becoming Ndaw's Vice President. Ndaw was inaugurated on 25 September, but Goita later accused Ndaw of attempting to sabotage the transition to democracy after refusing to consult Goita about a cabinet reshuffle, and he ousted him from power on 24 May 2021 in the 2021 Malian coup d'etat. Goita became the new interim President after Mali's third coup in ten years.