BRUSSELS, July 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The European Union has supported this Thursday the decision of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which lifted the sanctions imposed on Mali on Sunday, asking that the military junta comply with the agreement reached with the African organization for a democratic transition in the term of 24 months.
In a statement, the office of the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, supports the pact with ECOWAS and, while highlighting the concrete steps taken in recent weeks to prepare credible and transparent elections, asks the Mali’s transitional authorities to implement said agreement and complete the steps planned for the return to constitutional order and civil government by March 2024 as a deadline, this is several months before the initial approach of Bamako.
“The EU is also willing, to the extent that the aforementioned conditions are met, to consider other forms of support,” the community diplomacy has indicated. The Twenty-seven maintain sanctions against the Malian military junta for the coup d’état and deviating from the democratic ‘road map’ in the country.
The ECOWAS imposed sanctions last November after verifying the lack of progress in the preparations for the elections, measures that included the closure of borders, the freezing of Malian assets and the suspension of commercial and financial exchanges. These measures are lifted, although the individual sanctions against the leaders of the board will be maintained.
Assimi Goita led the coup against Keita in August 2020 and subsequently led a second coup d’état in May 2021 against the transitional authorities of Mali -at which time he overthrew the president and prime minister, Bah Ndaw and Moctar Ouane- – rising to power.
BURKINA FASO AND GUINEA
Likewise, the ECOWAS lifted in its meeting last Sunday the threat of sanctions that had fallen on Burkina Faso since last March, measures that have never been applied.
The EU expects a clear timetable in the coming weeks to determine the steps for a transition that will culminate in 24 months. “The EU welcomes the full freedom of movement finally granted to President Roch Kaboré and is ready to consider other forms of support,” he said. The former president was detained after the coup d’état this past January, triggered by a military mutiny in protest at insecurity and the lack of means to confront jihadism
While on the situation in Guinea, the EU welcomes the appointment of a new ECOWAS mediator, former Beninese President Thomas Boni Yayi, to advance the return of democracy to the country. Community diplomacy considers that this process must be accelerated to arrive as soon as possible at an “approved and precise” roadmap to establish that return to constitutional order.
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