ECOWAS sustains Guinea sanctions, imposes fresh ones on Mali

The third Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has sustained the sanctions imposed on Guinea and Mali.

The parley held on Sunday in Accra, Ghana to review the political situations in both nations.

The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on behalf of the President, stated: “The Authority decides to uphold the suspension of the Republic of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies, as well as the travel ban and freeze on financial assets imposed on the members of the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) and their family members until constitutional order is restored in the country.”

Regarding Mali, the ECOWAS leaders, at the forum, presided over by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana, who is Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, resolved that in “conformity with the decision taken on September 16, 2021, the Authority decides to impose sanctions with immediate effect against individuals and groups who have been identified, including the entire transition authorities and the other transition institutions.”

They added: “These sanctions will also be imposed on the members of their families. The sanctions include a travel ban and a freeze on their financial assets. The President of the Commission should consider and propose additional sanctions at the next Ordinary Session on December 12 2021, should the situation persists.”

The summit, graced by leaders from 13 nations, called on the “African Union, United Nations, as well as bilateral and other multilateral partners to endorse and support the implementation of these sanctions.”

Addressing the media thereafter, Prof. Osinbajo submitted that African countries have gone far beyond military coups as a means of changing political actors, describing unconstitutional seizure of power as unacceptable.

He said the leaders would sustain pressure on the military juntas in Guinea and Mali to return their nations to democratic rule.