Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on Sunday extended his hand of friendship to opposition coalition of religious leaders, politicians and civil society that has challenged his power in a country also facing jihadist attacks.

“I look forward to meeting soon with the leaders of the opposition movement,” added the Malian leader, who has been in power since 2013.

The coalition is made up of a movement headed by Imam Mahmoud Dicko of the Front for the Safeguard of Democracy (FSD), which brings together opposition parties, the main one which is the Front for the Safeguard of Democracy, and Espoir Mali Koura (EMK), a civil society movement led by filmmaker and former culture minister Cheick Oumar Sissoko.

I look forward to meeting soon with the leaders of the opposition movement.

Among its leaders are Cheick Oumar Sissoko, a former culture minister, and Mahmoud Dicko, a prominent imam and politician.