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The ECOWAS meeting comes after months of escalating tensions in Mali’s civilian restoration calendar in 2020 after the military took over.
West African leaders are meeting with the military government to discuss the political crisis in Mali after presenting their first proposal at the last minute to return to a civilian transition to the civilian government.
An extraordinary summit of the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) bloc is expected to discuss possible sanctions against the Sahel state on Sunday in the Ghanaian capital Accra, including postponed elections, among others.
The meeting comes months later increasing tensions In the calendar for the restoration of civilian power in Mali after the military took over in 2020.
In August of that year, army officers led by Colonel Assimi Goita ousted President-elect Ibrahim Boubacar Keita amid street protests against his unknown authority.
Under threat of punishment, Goita promised to restore civilian government in February 2022 after holding presidential and legislative elections.
But he staged a de facto second coup last May, ousting the caretaker civilian government. The movement disrupted the reform calendar and received it with widespread diplomatic condemnation.
ECOWAS stressed that Mali would hold elections in February.
But the government said it would set an election date only after a national conference, arguing that a peaceful vote was more important than speed.
Transparent elections
Mali’s expanses are out of state control, with the government fighting a revolt since 2012.
On December 30, after the end of the Mali reform conference, the government proposed a transition period of six months to five years, starting on January 1.
This would allow the authorities to “carry out structural institutional reforms and [organise] credible, fair and transparent elections, ”he said.
But Goodluck mediator Jonathan ECOWAS asked management to review the plan during a visit last week, Mali’s foreign minister said.
On Saturday, the military government presented a new calendar to the acting president of the bloc, Mali state television reported, without giving details about its contents.
ECOWAS has pushed 15 nations to fulfill their commitment to hold elections in Mali earlier this year.
Interrogations were expected in February
Returning to civilian authority has jeopardized the bloc’s credibility as it seeks to uphold the basic principles of governance and maintain regional instability.
At the December 12 summit, he reiterated that his leaders are demanding that elections be held by February 27. initially planned.
The ECOWAS region maintained sanctions such as freezing assets and travel bans against 150 military governments and their families and threatened further “economic and financial” measures.
A new sanction is expected at Sunday’s summit.
A summit of the West African Economic and Monetary Union will take place immediately ahead of the ECOWAS Accra talks, and its eight members will meet to lead joint action and impose new economic sanctions.
Punishments have been effective in the past.
For example, the bloc responded to Goita’s first coup by closing Mali’s borders, imposing trade restrictions and suspending the country’s decision-making bodies.
The Malian army set up a civilian-led government in response and pledged to hold elections, which led to the abolition of economic sanctions. Malik continues to cancel from the main organs of the block.
ECOWAS did not impose sanctions after the second coup, but backed members of the military government in November because of delays in election preparations.
Analysts say regional leaders need to consider the risks of Malians turning against ECOWAS.
A large proportion of the country’s political class boycotted the consultation on the latest reform, but the narrative of promoting the government’s national sovereignty is echoed in some populations.
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