ECOWAS Cuts Off Mali’s Military Junta: Shuts Embassies, Closes Borders, Stops Business

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken far-reaching punitive measures against Mali on the basis of of the military government in that country.

At the Summit of the sub-regional body yesterday, January 9, in Accra, Ghana, ECOWAS agreed to impose additional sanctions on the military junta in Mali, withdraw all ECOWAS Ambassadors in the country and close land and air borders between ECOWAS Member States and Mali.

The body also imposed additional sanctions on the junta, including the following:

1. a) Withdrawal of all ECOWAS Ambassadors in Mali;
2. b) Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Mali;
3. c) Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between 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 products, and electricity
4. d) Freeze of assets of the Republic of Mali in ECOWAS Central Banks;
5. e) Freeze of assets of the Malian State and the State Enterprises and Parastatals in Commercial Banks
6. f) Suspension of Mali from all financial assistance and transactions from financial institutions.

After reviewing the situation in Mali at the Extraordinary Summit, the sub-regional leaders rejected the transition schedule proposed by the Malian military junta, saying: “the proposed chronogram for a transition is totally unacceptable”.

The communique also disclosed that the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government “instructs all Community institutions to take steps to implement these sanctions with immediate effect.”

It said that the sanctions will only be gradually lifted “after an acceptable and agreed transition chronogram is finalised and monitored-satisfactory progress is realised in the implementation of the chronogram for the elections.”

Regarding Guinea, ECOWAS noted that it remained concerned about the slow progress of the transition process four months after the coup.

According to the Communique issued at the end of the meeting: “The Authority regrets the absence of chronogram for the election and the non-setting up of the National Council of Transition (CNT). It also directs that a mission be fielded to Conakry to discuss the transition.”

Earlier in his remarks at the opening session of the Summit, Chairman of ECOWAS, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, praised the commitment and support of West African leaders to the progress and prosperity of the sub-region.

President Akufo-Addo recalled the efforts of the leaders in resolving the crisis in parts of the sub-region, adding: “as you did through the entire year of 2021, you continue to demonstrate your commitment to responding to urgent and critical evolving situations in the region.

“This is the 6th Extraordinary Summit since I assumed the chair of the Authority that Your Excellencies have participated in concerning the vexed issues of Mali and Guinea. It is a strong testimony to your leadership and concern to the progress of ECOWAS.”