President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority
[Photo: ECOWAS]
By Mustapha Ceesay
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed diplomatic, economic, and financial sanctions on Guinea on Thursday.
The sanctions that include freezing of financial assets and travel ban, target individuals and groups believed to be preventing the country’s return to constitutional order within a reasonable timeframe, following the coup.
“After considering the report presented by the ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea on the situation in Guinea, and noting that not much progress has been made in arriving at an acceptable transition timetable, the Authority decides to impose diplomatic, economic, and financial sanctions on Guinea. These sanctions include:
“Recall for consultations by ECOWAS Member States of their ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Guinea;
“Suspension of all financial assistance and transactions in favour of Guinea by the ECOWAS Financial Institutions, particularly EBID.
“Targeted sanctions imposed on individuals and groups that have been identified in the list under Decision MSC. A/DEC 4/09/2022, including members of the other Transitional Institutions and any other persons preventing the return to constitutional order in Guinea within a reasonable timeframe. These sanctions include: I. Freeze of financial assets; (and)ii. Travel ban,” An ECOWAS communique dated 22nd September stated.
It stated that the sanctions are meant to facilitate the process of a quick return to constitutional order in Guinea, which is necessary for peace, stability, and development; and called on the Guinean authorities to accept within one month (effective 22nd September 2022), a reasonable transition period acceptable to ECOWAS, to avoid incurring more ‘severe sanctions’.
The Authority also upheld the suspension of the country from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies and remains seized on the situation in Guinea.
The decision by the Authority of Heads of State and Government was reached at an Extraordinary Session in New York, US on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Chaired by H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority.
The Extraordinary Summit convened on 22nd September 2022 reviewed the report of the ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea, and the situation of the 46 Ivorian soldiers being detained in Mali, 3 (females) of whom have been released on humanitarian grounds, earlier this month.
The fresh sanctions followed the Authority’s request at its 61st Ordinary Summit held on 3rd July 2022 in Accra, for the Mediator to continue engagement with the Transition Authorities to arrive at an acceptable transition timetable latest 1st August 2022, failing which economic, financial, and targeted sanctions would be imposed in conformity with the Authority’s deliberations at the Extraordinary Summit held in Accra on 25th March 2022.
On Mali
The Authority welcomed the diplomatic initiatives undertaken by several Heads of State of ECOWAS that led to the release of three female Ivorian soldiers on 3rd September 2022 on humanitarian grounds.
Nevertheless, it condemned in the ‘strongest terms’ the continued detention of the remaining 46 Ivorian soldiers, despite mediation efforts undertaken by the region.
The Authority further condemned the threat made by the Malian authorities on this matter; called for the unconditional release of the remaining 46 soldiers being detained in Mali; and decided to send a high-level mission composed of the Heads of State of Ghana, Senegal and Togo to secure the release of Ivorian soldiers.