By Mabinty M. Kamara
In a surprised reaction to the decision by Heads of State of ECOWAS to impose tougher economic sanctions against Mali, the military junta in Guinea has expressed its reservations to the ECOWAS measures. The ECOWAS stance on economic and financial sanctions against the military leaders in Mali came, after the soldiers in the Malian capital Bamako entrenched their grip on power by announcing their stay on to 2026.
“The CNRD wishes to inform national and international [partners] that the Republic of Guinea has in no way been associated with the decision of the fourth extraordinary summit of ECOWAS Heads of State dated January 9, 2022, on the sanctions taken against the Sister Republic of Mali,” the Guinean junta said in a statement.
It added that its decision was based on the fact that Guinea was not part of the decision-making process, and that the country currently does not belong to any ECOWAS institution, since its suspension on September 8 last year.
ECOWAS decided to cut off financial aid and freeze Mali's assets at the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).
The member countries will also recall their ambassadors to Mali, which has suffered two military coups since 2020 and is in the grip of a deep security crisis.
The sanctions which came into effect immediately, they say will be lifted gradually only when the Malian authorities present an "acceptable" and “agreed” chronogram is finalised and monitored satisfactory progress is realised in the implementation of the chronogram for the elections.
The Malian junta's proposal to hold the presidential election in December 2026 is "totally unacceptable," ECOWAS said. It added: “This chronogram simply means that an illegitimate military transition Government will take the Malian people, hostage, during the next five years.” While reiterating its call for the transition authorities to focus on activities geared towards an expeditious return to constitutional order and to defer key reforms to legitimately elected institutions to be established after the elections.
These West African sanctions are even more stringent than those adopted after the first putsch in August 2020.
In reaction to the said sanctions, the Junta on Sunday 9th January 2022 announced the recall of its ambassadors to West Africa and the closure of its land and air borders with its ECOWAS neighbors among other actions.
It describes the measures instituted by ECOWAS as inhuman “which affects populations already severely affected by the security crisis and the health crisis, in particular, that of COVID-19.” It called on the people of Mali to remain calm and restrained and assured that measures have been put in place to ensure the normal supply of the country by all appropriate means.
"The government of Mali strongly condemns these illegal and illegitimate sanctions taken by WAEMU and ECOWAS organisations nevertheless founded on patriotism and Pan-Africa Ideal, curiously at a time when the Malian Armed Forces are achieving spectacular results in the fight against terrorism, which had not happened for over a decade," and is therefore recalling its ambassadors in the ECOWAS countries, according to a press statement by the government spokesman in uniform.
"The government of Mali regrets that West African sub-regional organizations are being exploited by extra-regional powers with ulterior motives”, the statement claims.
However, the junta says it will not be able to organize presidential and legislative elections as planned at the end of February, citing the persistent insecurity in the country, which is plagued by all kinds of violence: jihadist, communal, common law. It stresses the need for prior reforms so that the elections do not suffer from disputes, as in previous ones.
It also called on support from friendly countries and institutions. And expressed its willingness to respect and apply the bilateral and multilateral conventions, agreements, and treaties to which it is a party.
Guinea is also under pressure to return to civilian rule after the coup d'état led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya on September 5 in 2021 that brought to an end the 11-year rule of Alpha Conde whose regime was accused of mismanagement, abuse of office, and human rights violations.
Nonetheless, the US Department of State has in a statement backed the decision of ECOWAS against Mali, noting the action to be in defense of democracy and stability in Mali.
“We share ECOWAS’s deep disappointment with the transition government of Mali’s lack of action or progress toward organizing elections, as it committed to do, following the August 2020 coup d’état. We support ECOWAS’s decision to impose additional economic and financial sanctions to urge the transition government to keep its pledge to the Malian people to return their country to democracy,” the statement reads.
It also expressed concerns over the “likely destabilizing” impact of Russia-backed Wagner group forces in Mali saying: “As noted in the Department’s statement of December 15, 2021, these forces will not bring peace to Mali and will divert resources away from the Malian Armed Forces’ fight against terrorism.”
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