The African Union (AU) on Tuesday announced it has suspended Mali’s membership with immediate effect in wake of last week’s military coup and threatened sanctions if a civilian-led government is not restored soon, reported Africa News. Mali has been barred from participating in African Union activities.
The AU “decides… to immediately suspend the Republic of Mali from participation in all activities of the African Union, its organs and institutions, until normal constitutional order has been restored in the country”, the body’s Peace and Security Council said in a statement on Tuesday.
Mali’s military arrested interim President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane last week. The two were left free under the pressure of the international community after resigning. The latest revolt derailed a transition to democratic elections after the last military coup in August ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Former vice president Colonel Assimi Goita, who led the August coup and last week’s revolt, was declared Mali’s president on Friday. He ensured that a new prime minister would be appointed within days, and that election would still go ahead next year as planned.
The African Union called for an unimpeded, transparent, and swift return to the civilian-led transition. It warned that the Council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions if the military did not hand back power to civilian transitional leaders.
The AU had also suspended Mali and imposed sanctions following the August coup, but reinstated its membership after the civilian-led transitional government was announced.
West African regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also suspended Mali’s membership until February 2022. The leaders of the 15-member regional body took the decision during an emergency summit in Ghana’s Accra on Sunday.
The United States and Mali’s former colonial master France have also threatened sanctions in response to the second coup.
