ECOWAS Summit on Guinea, Mali crisis: Final communique

• ECOWAS leaders met on September 16 to discuss political crisis in Guinea and Mali

• The bloc announced sanctions on leaders of Guinea's military junta

• They issued a final communique that called for quick transition to civilian rule

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the current Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, hosted his colleague Heads of State and Government representatives in Accra on Thursday, September 16 for talks on the political crisis in Guinea and Mali.

The Guinea talks specifically condemned the coup that overthrew president Alpha Conde, called for his release and demanded that the military junta led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, undertakes a six-month transition to civilian rule.

More instructive, ECOWAS announced sanctions on members of the military junta – the measure the bloc said will cover travel and financial assets of specific military officers.

Over in Guinea, the military junta have continued meetings with major political stakeholders on charting a path towards a transition.

The talks which started earlier this week included sessions with religious groups, opposition figures and civil society organizations.

Conde remains detained at an unknown location even though ECOWAS envoys who visited Conakry last week confirmed meeting him and that he was well.

He has refused to sign a resignation letter even though the military junta continues to run the affairs of state since they announced his ouster on September 5, 2021.

ECOWAS communique on Guinea, Mali after Sept. 16 Summit in Accra