ECOWAS leaders during the extraordinary summit held in Abuja on Saturday.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lifted the sanctions which it earlier imposed on Mali, B/Faso, Niger and Guinea, following military coups and subsequent takeover of democratic rule in the countries.
Dr Omar Touray, ECOWAS Commission President, announced this in a communique he read after the subregional bloc’s extraordinary summit held in Abuja on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the emergency summit was held to appraise the peace, political and security situation in the West African subregion.
According to Touray, all ECOWAS institutions, member states and other regional institutions have been directed to implement the decisions.
Touray explained that the ECOWAS decision was informed by humanitarian considerations, particularly the socio-economic impacts of the sanctions on the citizens of Niger, the security of the sub-region, as well as the Lenten and Ramadan seasons.
The ECOWAS Commission President said that the bloc also resolved to lift the sanctions on the recruitment of Malian citizens in statutory and professional positions within ECOWAS, and the economic sanctions on Guinea.
He said that he had been instructed by the Commission to invite Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Guinea to attend the bloc’s technical and consultative, as well as all security related meetings.
Touray further explained that the bloc also lifted some financial and economic sanctions on Guinea and some targeted sanctions on Mali.
For Niger, the sanctions, now lifted, included the closure of land and air borders; no flight zone to all commercial flights to and from the country, suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger alongside the freezing of all financial and utility service transactions.
Others are the freezing of its assets in all ECOWAS Central banks; freezing of assets of its state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks; suspension from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, travel bans on the military officials and their families involved in the coup attempt.
Touray said: “The Authority calls for the immediate release of former Niger President Bazoum and also calls on the transition authorities in Niger to provide an acceptable transition timetable to constitutional order.
“The Authority has resolved to lift with immediate effect sanctions imposed on Niger and has lifted the closure of land and air borders between it and ECOWAS member countries.
“No-Fly-Zone of all commercial flights to and from Niger is to be lifted. Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger are to be lifted.
“Freezing of all service transactions, including utility services is to be lifted. Freezing of assets of Niger in ECOWAS Central Bank is to be lifted. Freezing of assets of Niger and the state’s enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks is to be lifted.”
Touray said Niger had also been exempted from suspension of all financial assistance and transactions, as well as travel ban placed on its officials and their family members.
“The Authority has also resolved to lift financial and economic sanctions on the Republic of Guinea.
“It instructed the President of the Commission to invite Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Guinea to attend the technical, consultative and security meetings of ECOWAS.
“The Authority calls on ECOWAS institutions, member states and other regional institutions to implement these decisions,’’ he said.
On the threat of withdrawal from ECOWAS by Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, Touray said the Authority urged the countries to reconsider their decisions.
He said this was in view of the benefits that the ECOWAS member states and their citizens enjoyed in the community.
“The Authority expressed its concern over the socio-economic, political security and humanitarian impacts of the decision, particularly on the citizens of the three countries and on regional integration process.
“The Authority further urges the three member states to resort to dialogue, negotiations and mediation to address their concerns.
“The Authority urges the three member states to adhere to the provisions of the 1993 as revised.
“They should particularly consider the treaty relating to withdrawal, particularly the article that encourages ECOWAS to sustain its rapprochement and overtures towards the member states,” Touray said.
He added that the Authority encouraged outreaches with traditional, religious leaders, eminent personalities, civil society and women leaders for the unity and security of the region.
The Authority reiterated the urgent need for ECOWAS to expedite the operations of its standby force to fight against terrorism in the sub-region, including the elements of the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Accra initiative.
In this regard, the Authority instructed the commission to convene the meeting of ministers of finance and defence to propose modalities for financing and equipping counterterrorism efforts.
NAN recalls that the Malian coup took place on Aug. 18, 2020; that of Burkina Faso was on Sept. 30 of the same year, while that of Guinea took place on Sept. 5, 2021. In the Guinean coup, President Alpha Condé was captured by the country’s armed forces.(NAN)
