Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has implored President Akufo-Addo to travel to Guinea and Mali “as soon as possible” to personally relay the decisions of the Authority to the interim leaders.
Guinea as well as Mali, has been under the bloc’s sanctions as a result of the military takeover.
The coup in Guinea was the fourth attempted coup in West Africa in the last year with two military takeovers in Mali and a failed coup in Niger.
In Mali, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People led by Col Malick Diaw and Gen Sadio Camara on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, forced President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta to resign and took over power.
Mr Keïta had won a second term in elections in 2018 but there had been anger over corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and a dispute over legislative elections, prompting several large protests in the country.
An interim president, Bah Ndaw, and Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane, were put in charge awaiting the transition to constitutional rule but were also ousted by a second coup on Tuesday, May 25 led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. He declared himself interim president two days later.
The country was sanctioned by Ecowas and are scheduled to hold elections in February next year to return to constitutional rule.
In Guinea, President Alpha Conde’s government was ousted on Sunday, September 5 by members of the Special Forces of Guinea, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who has now formed the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD).
However, an emergency summit of Ecowas’ Authorities in Accra on Thursday, September 16 imposed sanctions on junta members in both Guinea and Mali.
In accordance with extant ECOWAS Protocols, the members of the CNRD and their family have been banned from travelling and their financial assets frozen.
A decision was taken for the Chair of the Authority to personally travel to Conakry to convey the messages to the military leaders.
“Members of the Authority request the Chair of the Authority to visit the Republics of Guinea and Mali as soon as possible to convey in person the decision of the Authority”.
“In light of recent developments in the region, the Authority reaffirms that the consolidation of democracy and good governance is crucial for the development, peace and stability of the region. Consequently, the Authority instructs the President of the Commission to initiate the process of reviewing
the 2001 Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance in order to ensure democracy, peace and stability in our region”, the communiqué read.