ECOWAS leaders suspend Mali over second coup
Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday suspended Mali from the organisation following political developments in the country that culminated in the removal of the president and prime minister of the transition.
The leaders, who held an extraordinary summit in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday, to discuss the developments in Mali issued a communique in which they ordered the military leaders, who are currently in charge of the nation, to restore the transitional arrangement put in place in August 2020 with the aim of returning the West African state to democratic rule by 27 February 2022.
The interim vice president, Colonel Assimi Goita, last Monday caused the arrest of interim President Bah N'daw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane,
He said he took the decision because he was not aware of a cabinet reshuffle in which two military officers who were leaders of the coup that ousted the civilian president in August 2020, were dropped.
Col. Goita, who led the August 2020 coup, was confirmed as interim president by the Malian Constitutional Court last Friday.
The communique said the West African leaders strongly condemned "this recent coup d’etat, which is a violation of the decisions taken at the extraordinary Summit held at the Peduase Lodge, Aburi, Ghana, on 15th September 2020 and a violation of the Transition Charter.
“After extensive discussions on the situation in Mali, the Heads of State and Government decided to reaffirm the importance and necessity of respecting the democratic process for ascending to power, in conformity with the 2001 ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. They particularly condemn all actions that led to the ongoing instability in Mali, and its attendant consequences in the region.”
ECOWAS called for "a new civilian Prime Minister to be nominated immediately", and a new inclusive government be formed to proceed with the transition programme.
They reaffirmed the need to respect the transition period of 18 months decided in Accra. "In this context, the date of 27th February 2022 already announced for the presidential election should be absolutely maintained. A monitoring Mechanism will be put in place to this effect.”
The communique again, reiterated “the earlier decisions that the Head of the transition, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister of the transition should not, under any circumstances, be candidates for the forthcoming presidential election and reaffirmed ECOWAS’ support to accompany the transition process in Mali”.
There were no sanctions announced in the communique.
In his opening remarks, Ghana's president and chairman of ECOWAS, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on his colleagues to remain resolute in supporting Mali to restore democracy.
President Akufo-Addo said the developments in Mali had violated the agreed terms of the transition, especially the provision that the interim vice president of the transition will not succeed the interim president.
He said ECOWAS was committed to the transition to restore democracy and stability to Mali, adding that the unfolding events, which have shaken the hopes that they had for for a peaceful transition, could have grave consequences for the sub-region.
The transitional arrangements were agreed in September and led to the lifting of sanctions imposed on Mali.
Some 10 leaders were present at the meeting, Ghanaian officials said. Col. Goita was also in Accra.
-0- PANA MA 31May2021
