Photo Credit: ECOWAS
ECOWAS has suspended Guinea Conakry from all ECOWAS governing bodies with immediate effect, following a military takeover in the country on 5th September.
The regional bloc made the announcement in a communique following an Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government.
The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened the Extraordinary Session via videoconference on 8 September 2021, under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the Authority, to review the political situation in Guinea and the political transition in Mali.
Below is an excerpt of the communique on Guinea
“The Authority expresses deep concern over the political developments in the Republic of Guinea following the coup d’état of 5 September 2021 and their consequences for regional peace and stability. It reaffirms its unreserved opposition to any political change by unconstitutional means and condemns, in the strongest terms, this coup.
“The Authority demands respect for the physical safety of the President of the Republic and Head of State, H.E. Alpha Condé, and his immediate and unconditional release, as well as that of all arrested persons. It holds the coup plotters, under the aegis of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), individually and collectively responsible for the physical safety of President Alpha Condé and the arrested persons.
“The Authority calls for the immediate return to constitutional order and demands that the Defence and Security Forces maintain a constitutional posture.
“The Heads of State and Government express their solidarity with the people of Guinea and affirm their determination to take every necessary action for the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea, in conformity with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. To that end, the Authority decides as follows:
“To suspend Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies with immediate effect,
“To immediately dispatch a high-level ECOWAS mission to Guinea to assess the situation,
“The Authority will review the situation in light of developments in the Republic of Guinea and the Assessment mission report,” an excerpt of the communique on Guinea stated.
In the communique, authority called on the African Union and the United Nations to endorse the decisions stated above.
Last Sunday, members of Guinea’s Special Forces led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya arrested president Alpha Conde and announced a military takeover.