ECOWAS Withdraws Its Ambassadors From Mali And Closes Its Borders 

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has decided to pull all of its ambassadors out of Mali and close all land and air crossings between member countries and Mali.

News Agency of Nigeria

This resolution was announced in a communiqué issued following the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government’s Extraordinary Summit in Accra, Ghana.

On Sunday, a conference was held in Mali to address the country’s political condition.

The regional leaders rejected the Malian military junta’s proposed transition date as “completely unacceptable” after analyzing the circumstances, according to the communiqué.

The junta was also sanctioned by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government also urged all community institutions to take prompt actions to impose the sanctions, according to the communiqué.

“Withdrawal of all ECOWAS Ambassadors in Mali; closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Mali.

“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.

“Freeze of assets of the Republic of Mali in ECOWAS Central Banks; freeze of assets of the Malian state and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial Banks.

“Suspension of Mali from all financial assistance and transactions from financial institutions.’’

The Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government also urged all community institutions to take prompt actions to impose the sanctions, according to the communiqué.

The sanctions would only be gradually eased if an acceptable and agreed-upon transition chronogram was finalized and monitored to assure progress, according to the statement.

Concerned about the slow progress of the transition process in Guinea four months after the coup, ECOWAS expressed its concern.

“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,” the communiqué said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Chairman of ECOWAS, hailed the commitment and support of West African leaders to the sub-progress region’s and prosperity earlier in his remarks at the Summit’s opening session.

“As you did through the entire year of 2021, you continue to demonstrate your commitment of 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 strong testimony to your leadership and concern to the progress of ECOWAS,” he said.

Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal, George Weah of Liberia, Patrice Talon of Benin Republic, Christian Kaboré of Burkina Faso, and Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire were among the West African leaders present at the summit, in addition to Osinbajo and Akufo-Addo.

Umaro Embal of Guinea Bissau, Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic, Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, and Isatou Touray, Vice President of The Gambia, were among the other Heads of State present.

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who serves as the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali, as well as the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, and officials from international organizations, attended the event.