Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, on Tuesday announced that it was ending sanctions imposed against Mali after a military Coup in August, saying it wished to back the return on civilian rule.
In a statement, ECOWAS said, “Heads of state and government have decided to lift sanctions” after noting positive steps towards a constitutional government.
The 15 nation group imposed tough sanctions against one of Africans poorest countries after president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was ousted following mass protests.
The coup was bloodless but triggered widespread alarm among Mali’s neighbours.
The ECOWAS sanctions imposed on August 20 include, border closures and a ban on commercial trade and financial flows but not basic necessities, drugs, equipment to fight coronavirus, fuel or electricity.
Under pressure, Mali’s junta endorsed a “charter” to restore civilian rule within 18 month and appointed a committee which chose 70 year old retired colonel, Bah Ndaw as interim president.
Despite this, ECOWAS insisted on the publication of the transition roadmap and warned it could not accept junta leader colonel Assimi Goita, who is interim vice president, as Ndaw’s potential replacement.
The block has now taken into account “notable advances towards constitutional normalisation,” according to a french text of Tuesday’s statement, signed by president Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, who currently chairs ECOWAS.
It also called on “all bilateral and multilateral partners to support Mali.”
The communique also called for civilian and military officers detained during the coup to be released and for the junta, which calls itself the National Council for The Salvation of The People (CNSP) to be dissolved.
