On Sunday, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) removed sanctions imposed on Mali. This comes after Mali’s military rulers introduced a new electoral law and suggested a 24-month timeline for transition to democracy.
Mali was slapped with economic sanctions in January after its authoritarian government said it would not organise elections as planned initially. According to Reuters, ECOWAS Commission President Jean Claude Kassi Brou told a news conference that the sanctions will be lifted immediately. Borders with Mali will reopen and regional diplomats will return to Bamako.
“However, the heads of state decided to maintain individual sanctions, and the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS, until the return to constitutional rule,” Kassi Brou said. The sanctions are aimed at members of the military junta and the transitional council.
Cut off from the regional financial market and the regional central bank, Mali has defaulted on over $300 Million of its debt due to the severity of the sanctions.
The military junta of Burkina Faso also pledged to restore constitutional order in 24 months, a move which was accepted by the West African heads of state. Kassi Brou said that after a long discussion with the military junta in Burkina Faso, a new proposal for a 24-month transition was more acceptable, after the West African leaders rejected a proposed 36-month transition.
Economic and financial sanctions on Burkina Faso were also lifted, he said.
On the other hand, ECOWAS leaders shot down a three-year transition plan proposed by Guinea’s coup leaders. The coup in Guinea had taken place in September last year. The leaders named Benin’s former president Yayi Boni as a mediator while urging the Guinea leadership to quickly work out a new transition timetable.
“Beyond that, economic sanctions will be imposed,” Kassi Brou added.
