ECOWAS imposes travel ban, freezes financial assets of Guinea coup leaders

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed heavy sanctions on the military junta in Guinea, and those stalling Mali's transition process.

The Bloc at its Accra Extraordinary Summit in Accra froze the financial assets and imposed travel bans on Guinea's military leaders and their relatives, and demanded that elections be held within six months.

The regional leaders insisted on the immediate and unconditional release of President Alpha Conde, and demanded that Mali's transitional authorities adhere strictly to the transition timetable for the effective conduct of elections before or on the non-negotiable deadline of February 2022.

Those stalling the transitional process in Mali, ECOWAS President Jean-Claude Jassi Brou said , would face the same sanctions taken against Guinea's military government.

The ECOWAS leaders in a post-summit communique called on the transitional authorities in Mali to submit the timetable, setting out the “essential steps” to be taken for the election latest by the end of October 2021, and insisted on the implementation “of only the necessary reforms for the conduct of elections on the agreed date.”

The communique asked Guinea's military leaders to work towards a swift return to constitutional order.

The West African leaders roundly expressed concern about the resurgence of coups in the region, and upheld Guinea's suspension from all ECOWAS governing bodies until the restoration of constitutional order.

They agreed that no member of the military regime would be allowed to contest the presidential election, and said that ECOWAS would “accompany Guinea in the swift resolution of the crisis and in the preparations for the elections.”

The Authority reminded the military regime- the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD)- led by a former French legionare, Lt. Col. Mamady Doumbouya, that they (the junta) are, “individually and collectively responsible for the physical safety of President Conde” who is being held in detention at a military facility.

It called on the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations, and other multilateral and bilateral partners to support the implementation of the sanctions against the Junta.

The meeting also appealled to the AU, the UN, and development partners to endorse the decisions taken by the Authority, and support the restoration of constitutional rule in Guinea.

The ECOWAS leaders requested President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Chair of ECOWAS, to visit Guinea and Mali as soon as possible to convey in person the decision of the Authority.

GNA