Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita appointed the defense minister to head the government of the West African nation as a successor to Modipo Keita, who has held the post since January 2015. 
Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga, a close ally of President Keita who had held the defense portfolio since September, replaced Modibo Keita, according to a decree read on state television. 
The prime minister had tendered his resignation on Friday, it said. 
The new prime minister will meet today several political parties to form a new government. 
The change is coming in a period where tension in the health care sector is arising, as public hospitals started a strike a month ago because of wages and the inclusion of workers contracted to the government sector. 
Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga is the fourth prime minister during President Keita term after Omar Tatum Lee, Moussa Mara and Modibo Keita. 
The 59-year-old new prime minister is the vice-chairman of the African Democratic Rally and he studied engineering and was director of the Keita campaign in the 2013 presidential election.

Source: QNA