ECOWAS eases sanctions on Guinea, Mali

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced on Sunday the relaxation of sanctions previously imposed on Guinea and Mali.

This decision follows a similar gesture towards Niger, aligning with ECOWAS’s efforts to engage with countries under military rule within the region.

Originally enforced in response to military coups between 2020 and 2023, the bloc disclosed that it is lifting financial and economic sanctions against Guinea. Simultaneously, restrictions on the recruitment of Malians to professional positions within ECOWAS institutions are also terminated.

Despite the significance of these decisions, they were not explicitly highlighted in the closing speech by ECOWAS Commission chief Omar Alieu Touray during the emergency summit on Saturday. However, these crucial details were outlined in the bloc’s official closing statement.

ECOWAS, taking a firm stance against military takeovers, had suspended Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from its membership. Notably, financial transactions with member institutions in Guinea were prohibited after Colonel Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Conde in 2021.

Mali, which experienced coups in 2020 and 2021, saw economic and financial sanctions lifted in 2022 following the military’s commitment to a transition back to civilian rule. Meanwhile, Niger faced the lifting of a no-fly zone, border closures, and asset freezes on humanitarian grounds after a coup in 2023 that overthrew elected leader Mohamed Bazoum. However, political and individual sanctions remain in effect.

The decision by ECOWAS to ease sanctions signals a willingness to reinitiate dialogue with the military regimes within its member countries. This comes at a critical juncture as Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have expressed intentions to leave the bloc, forming an alliance and strengthening ties with Russia while severing connections with traditional security partner France.

During the emergency summit, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, holding the rotating chairmanship of ECOWAS, emphasized the need to re-examine the current approach to the quest for constitutional order in the affected member states. The bloc’s diplomatic maneuvering reflects a nuanced strategy to navigate the evolving political landscape in West Africa.