(5 minutes read)
- West African leaders have gathered to discuss Mali’s political crisis. The military junta submitted a new timeframe for a transition back to civilian rule at the last minute
- The last proposal of the junta was rejected
- The contents of the new proposal are not yet known
- The extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is taking place in Ghana’s capital Accra.
West African leaders have gathered to discuss Mali’s political crisis. The military junta submitted a new timeframe for a transition back to civilian rule at the last minute. The last proposal of the junta was rejected. The contents of the new proposal are not yet known.
The extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is taking place in Ghana’s capital Accra. It is expected to discuss possible sanctions on the Sahel state if the state delays the elections. There is increasing tension over the delays in the elections. The problem started In August last year, when army officers led by Colonel Assimi Goita toppled the elected president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on the ground that his was an unpopular rule. There were street protests to back the claim of the junta.
However, faced with sanctions, Goita subsequently promised to restore civilian rule in February 2022 after holding presidential and legislative elections. An interim civilian government was installed. But he staged a de facto second coup in May 2021, forcing out the interim government, disrupting the reform and election timetable. This led to widespread diplomatic condemnation.
In response to ECOWAS insistence on Mali should hold elections in February, the junta said that it would only set an election date after holding a nationwide conference. It argued that a peaceful vote was more important than speed. The 15-nation ECOWAS is pushing Mali to uphold its commitment to stage elections early this year.
At a summit on December 12, its West African leaders reiterated demands that the elections be held by February 27 as initially planned and threatened the Sahel country with sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans within the ECOWAS region. The ban applies to around 150 junta figures and their families. It also said that further economic and financial measures. Would be clamped against the government.
Importantly, a West African Economic and Monetary Union summit has preceded the ECOWAS talks in Accra, with its eight members potentially meeting to lead concerted action and impose new economic sanctions. Analysts say regional leaders must take into account the risks of pitting Malians against ECOWAS. A large proportion of the country’s political class, according to reports, boycotted the recent reform consultation.
