ECOWAS Sustains Measures against Guinea, Sanctions Mali

•Seeks UN, AU, others’ support in action against both countries

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have sustained measures earlier imposed on the Republic of Guinea, including its suspension from the regional body.

The regional body also slammed similar sanctions on the Transitional Government in the Republic of Mali.

These were part of the decisions taken at the third Extraordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, and chaired by the President of Ghana, NAna Akufo-Addo.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the summit, which was convened to discuss developments on the situations in Guinea and Mali, where cases of illegal military takeover of government recently occurred.

According to a statement by the Media Assistant to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande yesterday, the regional heads called on other international bodies to support the implementation of the sanctions.

The communique, issued at the end of the summit, stated that, “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 CNRD and their family members until constitutional order is restored,” in the country.

On Mali, the ECOWAS leaders also resolved that in, “conformity with the decision taken on 16th September 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.

“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. It further instructs the President of the Commission to consider and propose additional sanctions at its next Ordinary Session on 12th December 2021, should the situation persist.”

The ECOWAS Summit attended by leaders from 13 countries then called, “on the African Union, the United Nations, and the bilateral and other multilateral partners to endorse and support the implementation of these sanctions.”

The communique further stated that, “the Authority endorsed the main recommendations contained in the memorandum on the political situation in the Republic of Guinea and the report on the political situation in the Republic of Mali.”

The decision of the West African leaders according to the communique are: “A. On the political transition in the Republic of Guinea. The Authority reaffirms its demand for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé.

“The Authority takes note of the recent developments in Guinea, particularly the adoption of the Transition Charter, the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister and the formation of the transition government.

“It urged the transition authorities to urgently submit a detailed timetable of activities to be carried out under the transition towards the holding of elections, in accordance with the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held on 16th September 2021.

“The Authority decides to appoint H.E. Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas as Special Envoy to Guinea with a view to strengthening dialogue with the Transitional authorities towards a successful and short transition process.

“On the political transition in the Republic of Mali. The Authority remains concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Mali, as a result of the heightened political uncertainties in the country. It calls on the Transition Authorities to intensify their efforts to improve the security situation, especially by ensuring effective state presence in the affected areas.

“In this context, the Authority calls on the neighbouring countries to step up security presence along their borders with Mali and instructs the ECOWAS Commission to deepen the ongoing discussions with the African Union Commission with a view to enhancing the security situation in the Sahel.

“Furthermore, the Authority calls for a more robust and offensive mandate and enhance the operational capacity of MINUSMA to deal with terrorism challenges in Mali. ECOWAS will accordingly request the United Nations Security Council to make the necessary amendments to the mandate of MINUSMA.

“On the political front, the Chair of ECOWAS informed the Authority of the official notification by the transition authorities of their inability to meet the transition deadline of February 2022.

“The Authority highly deplores the lack of progress made in the preparations for the elections, including the absence of a detailed timetable of activities for the conduct of elections on the agreed dates.”

It reiterated the need to adhere to the transition timetable in respect of the elections scheduled for 27th February 2022 and calls on the Transition Authorities to act accordingly to ensure an expeditious return to constitutional order.

The situation in Mali and Guinea will be reviewed at the Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on the 12th of December 2021.

He added that ECOWAS Heads of State and Government would continue to prevail on the military juntas in Guinea and Mali to return their countries to democratic rule.

According to him “one of the important points that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government make is that coups and coups de’tat generally are just completely unacceptable….and that we cannot continue to have a situation where they are tolerated for the simple reason that in Africa, West Africa in particular, we’ve gone way beyond military coups as an answer to the question of change in political actors.”

The VP further said, “there is a very strong feeling amongst the Heads of State that we must insist, that other international bodies: the UN, EU, and other regional groups must support the impositions of sanctions on individuals and groups that choose not to follow the democratic process of change of government and choose to go by way of coup de‘tat.”