December 13, (THEWILL) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on the international community to support the sanctions imposed on Guinea and Mali to promote peace, security, and stability in the region.
The appeal is part of the decisions reached by West African leaders at the end of the 60th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in Abuja on Sunday.
The body also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting peace, security, and democracy in the region as a prerequisite for economic integration and development in the region.
The regional bloc, which expressed great concern about the transition processes in Guinea and Mali, pointed out that there are no clear indicators that lead to the restoration of constitutional order in accordance with the authority’s decision.
It, however, welcomed the recent decision by Guinea’s transitional authorities to allow former President Alpha Conde to return home.
Regarding Mali, the authority took note of the official communication of December 9 from the Malian authorities that the calendar of the elections would be transmitted on January 31, 2022.
On the security situation in the subregion, the authority expressed concerns about the deterioration of the security situation in the Sahel, saying that it was characterized by terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria and the expansion of attacks in the coastal countries.
“To this end, the authority welcomes the recent states of conducting joint operations along the borders of the front-line countries and ordered the commission to provide support for the planning and conduct of such operations within the framework of the implementation of the Action Plan 2020-2024. to eradicate terrorism in the region,” it said.
On the creation of a monetary union, the authority took note of the state of macroeconomic convergence within ECOWAS in the first half of 2021.
It also welcomed the reopening of land borders in ECOWAS for the free movement of people.
The summit also welcomed the ECOWAS Regional Public Private Partnership (APP), which would provide the platform to come up with alternative and innovative fictions for regional projects.
It noted a harmonized Regional Road Safety Policy, an action plan, a monitoring and evaluation framework, and a Regional Road Safety Charter to guide the coordinated and harmonized improvement of safety in the ECOWAS region.
The summit adopted the ECOWAS Vision 2050, as well as the participatory process that presided over the development of the vision.
The vision aims to create “a community of fully integrated people in a peaceful and prosperous region with strong institutions that respect fundamental freedoms and work for inclusive and sustainable development.”
