The Malian prime minister said on Monday that the government was determined to organize the presidential and legislative elections in July in conformity with the transition roadmap.

Prime Minister Diango Cissoko was speaking in Bamako during a meeting of the committee charged with the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of the roadmap.

However, the prime minister admitted that the total recapture of all the occupied zones and beefing up security in those zones as well as mobilizing the necessary resources within the required time are some of the challenges that the government is faced with.

He said that its on this basis that the government had requested for the extension of the stay of the French forces in the operation until the total liberation of all occupied territory and the transformation of the International Support Mission for Mali (MISMA) into a United Nations Integrated Mission for Mali (MINUMA).

The prime minister further indicated that the government hoped to see the start of activities of the European Union Training Mission for Mali (EUTM) in April 2013 and the rapid mobilization of resources from the country's technical and financial partners.

Cissoko noted that thanks to the support of the French army and the African forces under MISMA, almost all the zones that were under the control of the rebel groups have been liberated and reinforcement of security is still ongoing to allow speedy return of the local administration as well as the refugees who fled from their homes.

Cissoko said that preparations for the presidential and legislative elections are ongoing and a ministerial committee headed by himself had already been formed while an electoral timetable is being developed by the territorial administration ministry.