ECOWAS gives Mali 12 to 16 months to conduct elections

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given Mali’s transitional authority 12 to 16 months to hold elections or face stiffer economic and financial sanctions.

The bloc also offered the ruling Junta in Guinea and Burkina Faso a month to propose a workable democratic transition timeline.

Jean Claude Kassi Brou, the President of the Commission, who briefed the media on the outcome of the Summit of Heads of State and Governments in Accra to review the political developments in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, said the three west African nations, who remained “adamant" had to return to democratic rule.

He said the sanctions preferred against the three would stay and would be lifted gradually when the commitment to put those countries back on the democratic path were established.

On Mali, Kassi Brou said the country must adhere to the additional period of 12 to 16 months agreed by the bloc and continue dialogue to reach an agreement that would ensure the gradual lifting of the sanctions placed on the country last January.

He said the timeline decision was taken because all stakeholders agreed it was a reasonable period to conduct elections and urged the Malian Junta to step up efforts to address the deteriorating security situation in that country.

On Guinea, the Commission’s President said the bloc demanded the finalisation of an acceptable timetable no later than April 23, 2022, failure of which harsher economic and financial sanctions would be employed against the country.

In the case of Burkina Faso, the West African leaders concluded that the Burkinabe Military authority’s request for a 36-month transitional period was too long and needed to be reviewed.

The bloc demanded the immediate and unconditional release of President Marc Roch Kabore and asked the interim leaders to reduce a proposed transition of 36 months to a more acceptable timeline.

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