Clashes between protesters and police delayed the start of a conference in Bamako on the post-coup political transition in Mali, Reuters reported Sept. 10. The three-day national consultations are the second round of talks between M5-RFP, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP), and other stakeholders. Why It Matters: The three-day consultations come ahead of the Sept. 15 deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) before the group begins lifting the sanctions it imposed following the coup. Currently, there are significant disagreements between CNSP and M5-RFP over how to structure the transition process and how long it should last. There are also disagreements within M5-RFP and other civilian political groups. Background: The CNSP overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August following three months of protests. Read More: