The Economic Community of West African States maintained sanctions against the military leadership in Mali and Guinea and added a travel ban against Burkina Faso’s rulers as fears grow over of a band of countries under military rule stretching across West Africa’s Sahel region.
(Bloomberg) — The Economic Community of West African States maintained sanctions against the military leadership in Mali and Guinea and added a travel ban against Burkina Faso’s rulers as fears grow over of a band of countries under military rule stretching across West Africa’s Sahel region.
Ecowas member states agreed to “maintain existing sanctions against all three countries, and to impose travel bans on members of government and other senior officials,” according to a statement released after an extraordinary summit on the sidelines of an African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday.
The decision comes a week after the three countries, which have been expelled from Ecowas, sought reintegration into the regional bloc and asked for sanctions to be lifted. In a joint statement they announced reinforced collaboration to facilitate trade, tackle insecurity and boost cooperation on mineral resource extractions.
Guinea is the world’s top bauxite producer, while Mali and Burkina Faso are among the biggest exporters of gold in sub-Saharan Africa.
Both Mali and Burkina Faso are battling Islamist insurgents and are ruled by juntas who have turned away from France, the former colonial power. Since 2020, military coups have taken place in all three West African nations, undoing democratic gains that had caused the region to lose its reputation as Africa’s “coup belt.”
Ecowas imposed sanctions against the military juntas ruling Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso to pressure them into agreeing on a timetable to return to democracy.
–With assistance from Simon Gongo.
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