ECOWAS suspends Mali

Mali has been suspended from the West African regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The decision was announced after an emergency meeting of the sub-regions leaders in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday.

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorko Botchwey told journalists that the Mali junta’s non-adherence to the mediatory role of ECOWAS necessistated the decision of ECOWAS leaders.

She added the West African leaders gave a few days ultimatum to the Colonel Assimi Goitta-led junta to restore a civilian to the post of Prime Minister, so that the transition agreed to following the ouster of the democratically-elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita last August, is followed up to its February, 2022 terminal date.

ECOWAS envoy, former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan had briefed the meeting behind closed doors of his mediatory trips to Mali last week.