Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie has suspended Mali’s membership Tuesday from the international community which has increased pressure on the military junta that seized power in Mali.

The leadership of the community said that the move was agreed upon at an extraordinary session held via videoconference, adding that it would maintain any cooperation that would help the civilian population to transit back to democracy.

The decision was made a day after envoys from the West African bloc ECOWAS and the new military rulers revealed their failure to agree on a timetable to return Mali to democratic rule.

The OIF had called for the release of the ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who stepped down from power last week after the military insurgency, on the ground that he wanted to avoid bloodshed.

The International Community which said it would be sending a high-delegation to Mali in the coming days also called for the establishment of a transition government led by civilian authority.

 The OIF has criticized the August 18 coup while ECOWAS which has so far taken the lead in the international community in trying to negotiate a timetable for a return to civilian rule with the country’s new military leaders, has suspended Mali from its ranks.

But both sides mentioned that they had failed to reach an agreement, and also that Keita no longer wanted to be restored to power, which had been one of the initial demands made by ECOWAS.