August 20, 2020 (Nyamilepedia) – West African Countries that make up the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have shut down their border against Mali in the backdrop of yesterday’s military coup which forced President Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita to resign.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ECOWAS said “following the ongoing mutiny within the Malian Armed Forces, ECOWAS notes with great concern the seizure of power by the Malian military.”
“This seizure of power takes place in a context of difficult socio-political crisis. Indeed, ECOWAS recalls that it has been engaged in a mediation process for more than two months in order to find a solution to this crisis,” added the statement seen by Nyamilepedia.
While raising concerns over the security of the President who is arrested along with finance minister and the prime minister, the regional body said it condemns what it said was the overthrow of a democratically elected government.
“[ECOWAS] strongly condemns the overthrow by Malian soldiers of democratically elected government of President Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita [and] categorically denies any form of legitimacy (recognition) to the coup plotters and demands the immediate restoration of constitutional order,” it said.
The statement also announced the suspension of Mali from regional activities and said it “demands the immediate release of President Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita and all arrested officials.”
It further said the regional body “decides on the closure of all land and air borders as well as stopping of all economic, commercial and financial flows and transactions between member countries of ECOWAS and Mali and invites all partners to do the same.
