Leaders of the West Africa regional group ECOWAS will hold an extraordinary summit today to propose measures to resolve the political crisis in Mali.

The virtual summit comes after two missions to Mali's capital, Bamako, failed to reconcile the government of embattled President IBRAHIM BOUBACAR KEÏTA and opposition groups demanding his resignation.

The opposition coalition, a group called M5-RFP, has rejected a proposal for the formation of a national unity government - insisting that President KEÏTA must resign and a transitional government be set up.

ECOWAS leaders have however insisted that any change of government in Mali must follow a constitutional process.