The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has lifted sanctions on Mali after the military junta responsible behind the August 18 coup agreed to form a transitional government led by a civilian, reported Reuters.
The 15-nation group had imposed tough sanctions against Mali after president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was ousted following mass protests. The sanctions included border closures and a ban on commercial trade and financial flows but not on basic necessities such as drugs, equipment to fight the coronavirus pandemic, fuel, and electricity.
Keïta’s resignation was followed by massive mass protests by the June 5 Movement, consisting of a coalition of opposition politicians, religious leaders, and civil society groups, over his failure to end the violence or to drag the country out of a grinding economic and institutional crisis.
On Tuesday, the regional bloc said the decision to lift the sanctions was taken because of the appointment of Mali’s 25-member interim government on Monday with some of the top posts going to military officials.
“Taking into consideration these important decisions for the normalization of constitutional order in Mali, ECOWAS has decided to lift the sanctions,” said the statement, signed by the chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Bah Ndaw, 70, is president of the 18-month transition government with military junta leader Col Assimi Goita as vice-president and former Foreign minister Moctar Ouane as prime minister.
In Mali’s new cabinet, military officers occupy the ministries of defence, territorial administration, security and national reconciliation. Civilians will hold 21 other posts including former prosecutor Mohamed Sidda Dicko as justice minister and former ambassador Zeini Moulaye as foreign minister.
Announcing the lifting of sanctions, ECOWAS Chairman and Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on the Mali government to comply with other demands by the 15-member regional bloc to dissolve the ruling military council and release detainees.
