Mali’s ruling military body has condemned the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) over its refusal to obey a court order to lift economic sanctions imposed against the country, reported CGTN Africa.
In a resolution delivered during its January summit, the UEMOA instructed all financial institutions to suspend Mali, after the ruling military junta ordered the postponement of elections. It was hoped that the elections would help reinstall democratic rule in the country after the 2020 and 2021 coups.
The sanctions included the suspension of all commercial transactions except for essential consumer products and the freezing of the financial assets of approximately 150 individuals linked to the Malian junta.
The measures were imposed in conjunction with sanctions by the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which froze Malian state assets, closed its borders, and suspended non-essential financial transactions.
Mali’s military leaders have repeatedly appealed since then for a lifting of the sanctions and filed a legal complaint with UEMOA in February, saying they would have severe consequences for the population. In March, the UEMOA court suspended the sanctions but the order has yet to be executed.
On Thursday, Mali’s military leaders in a statement said they “strongly denounce this attitude which constitutes a flagrant denial of justice and is at odds with the rule of law which imposes respect for legal decisions.”
The junta also called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, and the United Nations, to actively engage in enforcing UEMOA’s compliance with “international legality and the decisions of its own judicial control body”. It urged the international community to take into consideration the socio-economic impact of these sanctions on the general well-being of the Malian people.
ECOWAS heads of state met in Ghana following the UEMOA court ruling and asked Mali’s authorities to continue talks toward agreement on a transition period in which the sanctions would gradually be lifted.
