The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has decided to impose additional economic and financial sanctions in Mali, in conformity with its deliberations at the Sixtieth Ordinary Session held on 12 December 2021 in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
These additional sanctions include Withdrawal of all ECOWAS Ambassadors in Mali; Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Mali; Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between the ECOWAS Member States and Mali, with the exception of the following products: essential consumer goods; pharmaceutical products; medical supplies and equipment, including materials for the control of COVID-19; petroleum products and electricity; Freeze of assets of the Republic of Mali in ECOWAS Central Banks; Freeze of assets of the Malian State and the State Enterprises and Parastatals in Commercial Banks; Suspension of Mali from all financial assistance and transactions from all financial institutions”, the Communiqué said.
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened in Extraordinary Session in Accra, the Republic of Ghana, on 9 January 2022, under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority.
The Extraordinary Session was to review political developments in the Republic of Mali, in the context of the ongoing transition in the country since the last Summit held on 12 December 2021.
The Heads of State and Government express their deep gratitude to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his leadership in ensuring the success of the Summit.
The army has been in control in Mali since August 2020. In that time, the army has carried out two coups and postponed elections previously scheduled for next month that it had committed to holding.
The military government had hoped to extend the transition period by five years beginning at the start of the New Year on January 1.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Kofi Atakora
