ECOWAS reaffirms demand for Alpha Conde’s release, urges Guinea to fix timetable for elections

ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government has reaffirmed its demand for the unconditional release of ousted Guinean President Prof. Alpha Condé

The ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government says it has taken note of the recent happenings in Guinea including the adoption of a Transition Charter, the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister and the formation of Transitional Government.

Accordingly, ECOWAS has urged the transitional authorities of Guinea chaired by Interim President Lt. Col. Mamady Doumbouya to quickly furnish a comprehensive timetable about activities to be conducted under the transition towards pending elections in tandem with decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government held on 16th September 2021 in Accra-Ghana.

In the interim, the Authority has agreed to uphold the suspension of the Republic of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies, travel ban and freeze of financial assets imposed on the members of the CNRD and their family members, until constitutional rule is restored in the Francophone West African State.

It has also resolved to appoint H.E. Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas as Special Envoy to Guinea with a view to strengthening dialogue with the tansitional authorities towards a successful and short transition process.

This was the outcome of the 3rd extraordinary summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on the political instability in Guinea and Mali.

Below is the full communique issued by ECOWAS Heads of States and Government on Sunday November 7, 2021 in Accra-Ghana:

3rd EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT
OF THE ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON
THE SITUATION IN MALI AND GUINEA
Original: English
Accra, Republic of Ghana 7th November 2021

FINAL COMMUNIQUE
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;. 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
that 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.

5
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

THE AUTHORITY

Source: africaneditors.com