ECOWAS imposes sanctions on Mali
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed economic sanctions on Mali over the delay in the country’s transition programme.
ECOWAS in a communiqué issued on Sunday said it took the decision at the end of its extraordinary summit held in Accra, Ghana.
The subregional body described as totally unacceptable the Malian government’s plan to hold elections in 2025.
According to the communique, member countries insisted that the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for next month must go ahead.
It added that members also agreed to impose sanctions on landlocked Mali, which would include the closure of land and air borders and suspension of non-essential financial transactions, among others.
Periscope International recalls that Mali was thrown into a constitutional crisis in August 2020 following the overthrow of the country’s President, Ibrahim Keita, in a military coup.
The coup leaders led by Col. Assimi Goita later detained the President and Prime Minister Boubacar Cisse in a military facility on the outskirts of the country’s capital, Bamako.
Keita and Cisse resigned from their positions shortly after their release by the junta.
The junta later put in place an 18-month transition timetable slated to end on September 15 last year but has yet to see the light of the day.
