After examining the situation of countries breaking with democratic principles because of a coup d'Etat, the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided to partially and gradually lift sanctions imposed against Mali following their meeting on July 3 in Accra, Ghana. Explanations.
At the end of the Ordinary Summit of Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra this Sunday, July 3 in Accra, Ghana, member countries decided to lift certain sanctions imposed in Mali. Following the procrastination of the Malian authorities to put in place a timetable for a return to normal constitutional order. Which authorities did not even pray to taunt the sub-regional institution. Some ECOWAS nationals may criticize it, but the heads of state and government have made a point of making Mali an example. By heavily and indiscriminately sanctioning the military junta and in doing so the Malian population. Time has done its work and the two parties, depending on the change in tone in Bamako and the measures envisaged for a return to a democratically elected civilian regime, have decided to take steps towards each other. This justified a gradual lifting of the heavy sanctions imposed on Mali at the end of the January 9 summit in Accra. Among other sanctions, it was a question of the closing of the borders between Mali and the member countries of ECOWAS, the freezing of Malian assets within the Central Bank of West African States, the suspension of transactions except for essential and pharmaceutical products, the cutting of financial aid, the recall of ambassadors of member countries to Mali.
Admittedly, Mali will now resume its economic and financial cooperation with the ECOWAS countries. But this lifting of sanctions does not concern individual sanctions against the leaders of the ruling military junta and the suspension of Mali from ECOWAS bodies. They are maintained until the return to constitutional order. Sanctions reinforced by the fact that the ECOWAS Summit, through the voice of Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, hitherto President of the ECOWAS Commission, clearly notified the attention of Mali but also of Guinea and Burkina Faso led by military juntas: "the chiefs of State specified that in accordance with the charter, the soldiers of the junta cannot be candidates for the presidential election”.
In the meantime, the free movement of people and goods has already resumed between Mali and the member countries of ECOWAS for the greatest relief of this country in the hinterland which depends for its imports on many of its coastal neighbors.
By Jean Kebay
