ECOWAS Worried By Mali’s Delayed Transition Time Table

Heads of States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is concerned by the seemingly delayed presentation of a new and an acceptable transition time table by Mali to return to a constitutional rule.

The Authority has therefore decided to invite the transition authority in Mali over the delay.

At a press briefing after ECOWAS extraordinary summit yesterday, the ECOWAS president, Jean Claude noted, “The Heads of States said they have not received the time table that was acceptable. As you recall, there was a time table that was provided in January 8, 2022 but the Heads of States decided the timetable was not acceptable for the elections so they are expecting a new one and they have not received it so they have decided to invite the transition authority in Mali to provide the new timetable that will be acceptable to ECOWAS and that will allow the gradual lifting of the sanction that were imposed on January 9,2022”.

He reiterated that the sanctions were imposed because the Malian authority failed to implement the agreed timetable which called for an election on 10th February 2022.

“And also they proposed a timetable that provides for an extention of the transition for a period of four years after the eighteen months already agreed upon”,he said.

Jean Claude indicated that sanctions are provided as the last resort when everything has been attempted to achieve the return to constitutional order.

According to Jean, the West African bloc had been in consultations with the transition authority in Mali for at least six months and therefore decided to impose the economic and financial sanctions on January 9, 2022 when the mediations did not yield the expected result.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini