Mali's military junta on Saturday postponed the first meeting on the transfer of power after rising tensions with the group that sparked the August 18 coup.
The junta had invited civic groups, political organisations and former rebels to consultations on Saturday, but said in a statement that the meeting was postponed at the last minute to a later date due to "organisational reasons".
A protest coalition that had campaigned against former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, the June 5 Movement, was not invited to the meeting and accused the new military rulers of trying to hijack the coup.
The group has demanded that the military junta give it a role in the transition to civilian rule, in keeping with its role in spearheading Mr Keita's ouster. The military has promised to do so, though without a timetable.
"We state with bitterness that this junta which had sparked hope in the hearts of all Malians... is in the process of drifting away from the people," said Tahirou Bah, from the Espoir Malikoura association, one of the pillars of the June 5 movement.
The June 5 movement said they had been summoned later Saturday to the Kati military barracks near the capital to meet with the junta leaders.
After an escalating series of mass protests, young army officers mutinied on August 18, seizing Mr Keita and other leaders and declaring they now governed the country.
The coup shocked Mali's West African neighbours and ally France, heightening worries over instability in a country already struggling with an Islamist insurgency, ethnic violence and economic malaise.
Mali's influential imam Mahmoud Dicko, a key player in the mass opposition protests that led to Keita's ouster, said Friday that the new military rulers did not have "carte blanche".
"We will not give a blank cheque to anyone to run this country, that's over," he said.
"We led the fight," he said. "People have died and the soldiers who have completed [this fight] must keep their word."
Mr Dicko's spokesman Issa Kaou Djim later expanded on this, saying the imam "said the people have started to doubt" the junta.
"A revolution cannot be confiscated by a group of soldiers," he said.
His comments came as a new document published on the Malian government's Official Journal said the junta's head had been effectively invested with the powers of head of state.
West African leaders on Friday demanded an immediate civilian transition and elections within 12 months, as they considered sanctions.
The West African regional bloc Ecowas closed its borders with Mali after the coup, banning trade and financial flows as it demanded the release of Mr Keita and other detained officials.
Mr Keita, 75, was elected in 2013 as a unifying figure in a fractured country and was returned in 2018 for a second five-year term.
But his popularity crashed as he failed to counter the raging jihadist insurgency and brake Mali's downward economic spiral.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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