Nigeria and other members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have shown a strong resolve against undemocratic change of power within the region.

Rising from an Extraordinary Summit, held in Accra, the capital of Ghana on Sunday, the leaders of the West African States shut all doors of relationship with the Mali military junta which has shown an indication that it wants to illegally hold on to power in the country.

A litany of sanctions was imposed on the Mali illegitimate regime including:
a) Withdrawal of all ECOWAS Ambassadors in Mali.

b) Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Mali.
c) Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Mali, with the exception of the following products: essential consumer goods; pharmaceutical products; medical supplies and equipment, including materials for the control of COVID-19 products, and electricity.
d) Freezing of assets of the Republic of Mali in ECOWAS Central Banks.
e) Freeze of assets of the Malian State and the State Enterprises and Parastatals in Commercial Banks.
f) Suspension of Mali from all financial assistance and transactions from financial institutions.
The Mali  military junta recently announced a transition plan that would see t be in power for a minimum of five years.

The communique also disclosed that the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government “instructs all Community institutions to take steps to implement these sanctions with immediate effect.”

It noted that the sanctions will only be gradually lifted “after an acceptable and agreed transition chronogram is finalised and monitored-satisfactory progress is realised in the implementation of the chronogram for the elections.”

Regarding Guinea, ECOWAS noted that it remained concerned about the slow progress of the transition process four months after the coup.
According to the communique issued at the end of the meeting, “The Authority regrets the absence of chronogram for the election and the non-setting up of the National Council of Transition (CNT).

It also directs that a mission be fielded to Conakry to discuss the transition.”
In his remarks at the opening session of the Summit, Chairman of ECOWAS, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, praised the commitment and support of West African leaders to the progress and prosperity of the sub-region.

President Akufo-Addo recalled that, “as you did through the entire year of 2021, you continue to demonstrate your commitment to responding to urgent and critical evolving situations in the region.
“This is the 6th Extraordinary Summit since I assumed the chair of the Authority that Your Excellencies have participated in concerning the vexed issues of Mali and Guinea. It is a strong testimony to your leadership and concern to the progress of ECOWAS.”

Aside Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who represented President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ghanaian President – who presided at the Summit – other West African leaders present at the Summit were Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal; George Weah of Liberia; Patrice Talon of Benin Republic; Roch Marc Christian Kaboré of Burkina Faso, and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire.
Other Heads of State present include Umaro Embalò of the Republic of Guinea Bissau; Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic; Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, and the Vice President of The Gambia, Isatou Touray.

The session was also attended by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali; the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou; among other representatives of international organisations.

Osinbajo told journalist  at the summit that ECOWAS had not lost its bite as it was concerned about issues of good governance and democratic enterprise in the ECOWAS region.He said this was why the sanction against Guinea and Mali were imposed.

According to him, “I think what is being done is unprecedented; in the years gone by, African Union, then known as Organisation of African Unity, never came down heavily on coup d’etat.
“But it is evident now; there is very strong resolve that the ECOWAS, and indeed the international community, will not accept unconstitutional takeovers of government in the form of coup d’etat and other such unconstitutional means of taking over governments.
“So, it is very evident that there is a very strong resolve which is why we are here today,” Osinbajo said.
He expressed optimism that the efforts being made to resolve the situation in Mali would yield a positive result. 

Speaking further in a  statement released by his media aide, Laolu Akande, Prof Osinbajo noted that “With its latest stand against unconstitutional seizure of power, leaders of member states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have shown strong resolve and commitment to issues of good governance and democracy in the sub-region,” adding  that “that there is a strong resolve by ECOWAS Member States to stand against coup d’états in the sub-region.”

After reviewing the situation in Mali at the Extraordinary Summit, the sub-regional leaders rejected the transition schedule proposed by the Malian military junta, noting that “the proposed chronogram for a transition is totally unacceptable”.