[ad_1]
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting in extraordinary session Thursday to examine the situation in West African countries Guinea and Mali, imposing sanctions on individuals from both countries.
Both nations have experienced coups d’état—Mali in May and Guinea earlier this month. Heads of state and other ministers present at the session heard information about the coup in Guinea and the situation in Mali. After some deliberation, the session reiterated “its unreserved condemnation” of the coup d’état in Guinea and again called for “the immediate and unconditional release of President Alpha Condé”. He also reminded the coup plotters that they are responsible for Condé’s security.
Concerned about the resurgence of coups on the continent, ECOWAS decided to suspend Guinea from all ECOWAS organs until constitutional order is restored, imposed sanctions and non-travel bans. only to members of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) – the group that organized the coup, but also to members of their families, and called on the African Union, the EU and the UN to support sanctions. They also set a deadline for presidential and legislative elections in Guinea in six months, including a request that no CNRD member be allowed to run for president.
ECOWAS “also remains deeply concerned about the slowness of preparations for the elections” in Mali, which the new Malian authorities had pledged to hold in February 2022. However, Mali has already passed the key deadlines for updating the lists. elections and a new constitution. ECOWAS called on the transitional authorities to submit an election schedule by the end of October. They also decided to impose targeted sanctions on those “whose actions have a negative impact on the transition timetable”. They also called for respect for the rule of law and human rights in the face of the continued arrests and detention of political and opposition leaders.
The declaration concluded by reaffirming “that the consolidation of democracy and good governance is crucial for the development, peace and stability of the region”. At the end of the meeting, Senegalese President Macky Sall tweeted his praise for “the strong decisions of the summit to safeguard democracy, peace, security and stability in the region”.
[ad_2]
Source link