3rd EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON THE SITUATION IN MALI AND GUINEA

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Published On - November 9, 2021

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1. The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an Extraordinary Session in Accra, Republic of Ghana, on 7th November 2021, under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority. The Summit was to review political developments in the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Mali.

2. Present at the Summit were the under-listed ECOWAS Heads of State and Government or their duly mandated representatives:

H. E. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire;

H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana;

H. E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau;

H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger;

H. E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal;

H.E. Mariam Chabi Talata, Vice President of the Republic of Benin;

H.E. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

H.E. Christophe Joseph Marie Dabire, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso;

Hon. Seedy Keita, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment of the Republic of The Gambia;

Hon. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia;

H.E. Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese nationals abroad.

H.E. Belarmino Silva, Ambassador of the Republic of Cabo Verde to Nigeria;

H.E Mrs. Francess Virginia Anderson, High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone to Ghana;

3. The session was also attended by H.E. Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS Mediator for Mali, H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr El-Ghassim Wane, Head of MINUSMA and Mr Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special Representative for MISAHEL, representing the President of the African Union Commission.

4. The Authority expressed solidarity with the Republic of Niger, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Sierra Leone over the incidents hat took place in these Member States in which scores of lives were lost due to terrorism and an inferno, respectively. The Authority observed a minute of silence in memory of the victims.

5. The Heads of State and Government were briefed by the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the outcomes of his visit to Guinea, accompanied by H.E. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, on 17th September 2021, and his visit to Mali on 17th October 2021. The Authority also considered the report on the political situation in Mali presented by the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali and the Memorandum on the political situation in Guinea presented by the President of the Commission. The Authority commended the quality of the reports.

6. After the deliberations, the Authority endorsed the main recommendations contained in the memorandum on the political situation in the Republic of Guinea and the report on the political situation in the Republic of Mali.

On the political transition in the Republic of Guinea

7. The Authority reaffirms its demand for the unconditional release of President Alpha Condé.

8. The Authority takes note of the recent developments in Guinea, particularly the adoption of the Transition Charter, the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister and the formation of the Transition Government. It urges the Transition Authorities to urgently submit a detailed timetable of activities to be carried out under the transition towards the holding of elections, in accordance with the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held on 16th September 2021.

9. The Authority decides to uphold the suspension of the Republic of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies as well as the travel ban and freeze of financial assets imposed on the members of the CNRD and their family members, until constitutional order is restored.

10. The Authority decides to appoint H.E. Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas as Special Envoy to Guinea with a view to strengthening dialogue with the Transitional authorities towards a successful and short transition process.

On the political transition in the Republic of Mali

11. The Authority remains concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Mali, as a result of the heightened political uncertainties in the country. It calls on the Transition Authorities to intensify their efforts to improve the security situation, especially by ensuring effective state presence in the affected areas. In this context, the Authority calls on the neighbouring countries to step up security presence along their borders with Mali and instructs the ECOWAS Commission to deepen the ongoing discussions with the African Union Commission with a view to enhancing the security situation in the Sahel.

12. Furthermore, the Authority calls for a more robust and offensive mandate and enhance the operational capacity of MINUSMA to deal with terrorism challenges in Mali. ECOWAS will accordingly request the United Nations Security Council to make the necessary amendments to the mandate of MINUSMA.

13. On the political front, the Chair of ECOWAS informed the Authority of the official notification by the transition authorities of their inability to meet the transition deadline of February 2022. The Authority highly deplores the lack of progress made in the preparations for the elections, including the absence of a detailed timetable of activities for the conduct of elections on the agreed dates.

14. The Authority reiterates the need to adhere to the transition timetable in respect of the elections scheduled for 27th February 2022 and calls on the Transition Authorities to act accordingly to ensure expeditious return to constitutional order. Accordingly, the Authority calls on the International Community to take the necessary measures to ensure that the transition authorities respect their commitment to an expeditious return to constitutional order.

15. In conformity with the decision taken on 16th September 2021, the Authority decides to impose sanctions with immediate effect against individuals and groups who have been identified, including the entire Transition authorities and the other transition institutions. These sanctions will also be imposed on the members of their families.

16. The sanctions include a travel ban and a freeze on their financial assets. It further instructs the President of the Commission to consider and propose additional sanctions at its next Ordinary Session on 12th December 2021, should the situation persist. Furthermore, the Authority calls on the African Union, the United Nations, and the bilateral and other multilateral partners to endorse and support the implementation of these sanctions.

17. The Authority condemns the expulsion of the ECOWAS Permanent Representative to Mali in this critical context and calls on the transition authorities to uphold the spirit of dialogue and collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission to ensure a successful transition.

18. The situation in Mali and Guinea will be reviewed at the Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on 12th December 2021.

19. The Authority reaffirms its adherence to all the ECOWAS normative frameworks, particularly the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

20. The Heads of State and Government express their deep gratitude to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his leadership in ensuring the success of the Summit.

Done at Accra, this 7th day of November 2021