Mali‘s military leaders have confirmed that civilian rule will not be restored for another two years.
Colonel Assimi Goita, the interim President, has signed a decree establishing the length of the transition period.
The Army took power in 2020 and has faced international pressure to hold elections sooner.
Mali is battling crippling sanctions imposed after it failed to hold a planned election in February.
The West African regional grouping, Ecowas, decided to keep the measures in place over the weekend.
It will revisit the situation at its next extraordinary summit next month.
The EU had asked Mali to reconsider its two-year transition period, believing that 12 or 18 months would suffice.
Protests against Keita erupted in response to the country’s mounting toll in the fight against insurgents, paving the way for a coup by disgruntled army officers in August 2020.
In May 2021, strongman Goita deposed an interim civilian government and took over the presidency in a second de facto coup.
Since 2012, Mali has been gripped by violence perpetrated by militants linked to Al-Qaeda, as well as the killing of self-proclaimed militias and bandits.