By John Ikani
The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has imposed various sanctions on the leaders of the military coup in Mali for shifting the date for the Presidential and Legislative elections earlier fixed for February 2022.
The sanctions spelt out in a statement issued after an extraordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Heads of Authority and Heads of State under the Chairmanship of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra on Sunday, include assets freeze and travel bans on all members of the transitional authority as well as certain family members.
The regional bloc further said it would consider additional sanctions in December if no progress was made.
Mali’s Interim Government which took power following the military overthrow of President Ibrahim Keita in August 2020, had promised that ECOWAS would oversee an 18-month transition back to democracy culminating in elections on February 27, 2022.
However, ECOWAS observed that there are little or no progress at all towards organizing the general elections, hence the sanctions.
On the political transition in Guinea, the Authority reaffirmed its demand for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé.
It took note of the developments in Guinea, particularly the adoption of the Transition Charter, the appointment of a Civilian Prime Minister and the formation of the Transition Government.
