The regional organization met in an extraordinary Summit in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday and endorsed the decisions taken by the West African Monetary Union a few hours earlier.
In order to bring the junta to a rapid return to constitutional order, the West African countries meeting at a summit in Accra have taken very tough economic and financial measures in addition to the previous sanctions.
ECOWAS decided to freeze Malian assets at the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), to cut off financial aid, to close the borders between Mali and the member states of the organization, and to suspend transactions with Bamako, with the exception of medical products and basic necessities. ECOWAS also decided to withdraw the ambassadors of all member countries from Mali.
The summit found that the transition had failed to hold elections by February 27, 2022, as agreed. Diplomats consider the timetable proposed by Mali “unacceptable. They called on the Malian transitional authorities to suspend major reform measures until the legitimate institutions that will be put in place after the elections take office. Mali, which proposed a transition period of four years, will have to review its plan.