Mali: at an extraordinary summit, the ECOWAS hardens its tone against the transition
Transitional Prime Minister Choguel Maïga during the inauguration of the president of the Malian trasition Assimi Goïta on June 7, 2021. (Photo illustration) AFP - ANNIE RISEMBERG
Text by: David Baché
2 min
The heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decided, Sunday, November 7 at an exceptional summit, to adopt individual sanctions against the leaders of the transition and their families. .
The sub-regional organization thus intends to remind the transitional authorities of their initial commitment to hold elections (presidential and legislative), next February, for a return to constitutional order.
Mali declines the deadline.
Advertising
Read more
The Malian authorities have indicated that they want to postpone the February deadline, citing in particular the security context.
And this is what caused this hardening of tone on the part of the Economic Community of West African States.
Presidency, Prime Minister, National Transitional Council ... If the ECOWAS did not specify the exact number of people targeted by the announced sanctions, they number in the hundreds.
Civilians and military.
It is in fact all the leaders and members of the institutions of the transition as well as their families who are concerned by the travel bans as well as by the freezing of financial assets decided by the ECOWAS.
The sub-regional institution had already brandished this threat in recent months.
She therefore decided to take action, after the transitional authorities officially notified her of their "
inability to meet the transition deadline
", according to the terms of the ECOWAS press release.
The organization recalls, once again, "
the need to respect the timetable for the transition for the elections scheduled for February 27, 2022
", and "
asks the transitional authorities to work in this direction, in order to ensure the return quick to constitutional order
”.
However, the president of the transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta, and his Prime Minister, Choguel Maïga, have already clearly stated their desire to set a new deadline during the national meetings supposed to end at the end of December.
The long-standing showdown, but which both sides said they wanted to avoid, is finally well underway.
The Malian transitional authorities have not officially reacted to this announcement of sanctions, for the moment.
Show of strength
How to interpret this hardening of the ECOWAS position?
What can be the effects of the sanctions decided on this Sunday?
RFI asked these questions to Boubacar Haidara, doctor in political science, lecturer at the University of Ségou and associate researcher at Sciences-Po Bordeaux.
ECOWAS is finally asserting itself against the Malian authorities by making them understand that they will not be able to seize power even longer.
Boubacar Haidara, Doctor of Political Science.
David Baché
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Mali
ECOWAS