February 24, (THEWILL) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended sanctions it imposed on Niger, Mali and Burkina-Faso. The regional bloc also lifted sanctions on the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
This was part of decisions reached on Saturday at the bloc’s extraordinary meeting of the Authority of Heads of States and Governments presided over by its Chairman, President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu, who read the communique of the resolutions reached at the summit, said while the political and targeted sanctions on Niger Republic remain, the regional bloc lifted some financial and economic sanctions on Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
The countries had been under ECOWAS sanctions since military coups took place in each country over the past two years respectively.
Touray said the decision is based on humanitarian considerations, especially because of the month of Lent and the approaching Ramadan.
“Now, let me make it very clear that what I have listed is not exhaustive. Political sanctions have not been lifted. Border closures have been lifted and commercial sanctions have been lifted. But there are targeted sanctions as well as political sanctions. That remains in force.
“I think our sanctions regime should be assessed correctly. The list I have given relates mainly to Niger because all the other countries still have political sanctions on them.
“So, the border closures, the commercial sanctions and all that are on leisure and that is what the leaders have decided to lift. But individual sanctions as well as political sanctions remain in place in Niger.
“Now for other countries, political sanctions remain. That is the limited ability to attend ECOWAS Summit as well as ministerial sessions.”
In July 2023, the regional bloc approved the “suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger. Freeze all service transactions, including energy transactions.”
It froze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks. It also took similar steps when Mali and Burkina-Faso fell under military rule.
Niger, Mali and Burkina-Faso had in late January, announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS over what they described as “inhumane and illegal sanctions” harming their people. They had further disclosed plans to form a confederation. They also alleged that the bloc had fallen under the influence of foreign governments whose interests, they said, were far from the people.
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