Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

West Africa's ECOWAS implements sanctions over Guinea, Mali coups

by French Press Agency - AFP

ACCRA Sep 17, 2021 - 9:26 am GMT+3
Two young boys walk past a torn billboard of the former president of Guinea, Alpha Conde, in Conakry, Guinea, Sept. 16, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Two young boys walk past a torn billboard of the former president of Guinea, Alpha Conde, in Conakry, Guinea, Sept. 16, 2021. (AFP Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Sep 17, 2021 9:26 am
RECOMMENDED
A herd of cattles on a street close to Suru in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, Nov. 14, 2018. (Getty Images Photo)

Cattle thieves ambush, kill 41 vigilantes in northern Nigeria

nigeria

West African leaders on Thursday imposed sanctions on Guinea's coup leaders and called for elections in six months, demanding a quick return to civilian rule after troops ousted President Alpha Conde this month.

The 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc had already suspended Guinea after Conde's ouster on Sept. 5 by a special forces commander who captured the president and declared a political transition.

Guinea's military rebellion has fueled international concerns over democratic backsliding across west Africa and drew parallels with Mali, which has suffered two coups since August last year.

"The heads of state insisted that the transition must be very short," ECOWAS Commission President Jean Claude Kassi Brou told reporters after leaders met in Accra for a summit on the Guinea crisis. "The transition should not last more than six months. In six months, elections should be held."

In a communique, ECOWAS said it would impose the sanctions of travel bans on members of the military junta and their family members and also freeze their financial assets. It called on the African Union (AU), the United Nations and the European Union to back the sanctions on the junta, known as the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development (CNRD).

"By having specific, targeted sanctions on members of the CNRD, we are sending a strong signal to all those who are tempted to have this type of idea," Kassi Brou said. "There will be a price, a very high price."

ECOWAS had sent a mission to Guinea last week to meet with coup leader Lt. Col. Mamady Doumbouya and was due to decide how to pressure the junta back to constitutional rule.

No timetable

Guinea's junta began a four-day series of talks on Tuesday designed to sound out the country's leaders on the path toward civilian rule. Doumbouya and his ruling officers have so far met political leaders, religious authorities and rights activists and are due to speak to foreign diplomats, trade unionists and mining executives through to Friday.

When addressing political leaders in Guinea on Tuesday, Doumbouya said the coup resulted from "the failure of the entire political and military class." He also refused to commit to a timetable to restoring civilian rule.

"The only timetable that counts is that of the Guinean people who have suffered so much," the military leader said.

After seizing power earlier this month, Doumbouya cited rights abuses under Conde and promised a "national unity" government that would guarantee a transition. There have been no concrete details on transition plans since, however.

When faced with a similar coup in Mali last year, ECOWAS imposed economic sanctions but lifted them after the military committed to restoring civilian rule. But over a year since that putsch, Mali's army is still in power, and there are increasing doubts about a pledge to hold elections in February next year.

Captive Conde

Public discontent in Guinea had been brewing for months before the coup over the leadership of Conde, 83. A former opposition figure, Conde became Guinea's first democratically elected president in 2010 and was reelected in 2015. But last year, he pushed through a controversial new constitution that allowed him to run for a third term in October 2020.

The move sparked mass demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed. Conde won the election, but the political opposition maintained the poll was a sham. The military is currently holding the former president, despite international calls for his release, including from ECOWAS.

Guinea's junta has agreed to the principle of freeing Conde, but the issue remains highly sensitive – and it is unclear what will happen to the former leader if he is released. Opposition groups are also opposed to his liberation, citing the danger he might try to regain power.

A developing nation of 13 million people, Guinea has abundant deposits of iron, gold, diamonds and bauxite, the ore used to make aluminum. Mining is the driver of the economy.

RECOMMENDED
A herd of cattles on a street close to Suru in Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria, Nov. 14, 2018. (Getty Images Photo)

Cattle thieves ambush, kill 41 vigilantes in northern Nigeria

nigeria
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Sep 17, 2021 10:36 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    guinea ecowas military coup alpha conde sanctions mali
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    A view of the rubble of a building hit by the earthquake in Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş, Feb. 6, 2023. (AA Photo)

    Death toll rises to 3,381 after magnitude 7.7 quake rocks SE Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE
    The collapsed part of Gaziantep Castle, Feb. 6, 2023. (DHA Photo)

    Gaziantep Castle collapses after magnitude 7.7 quake hit Türkiye

    EARTHQUAKE

    Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Gaziantep suspend flights after 7.7 earthquake

    EARTHQUAKE

    Deadly quake damages Türkiye's energy infrastructure, major port

    earthquake
    No Image
    Pandemic-hit theater back in India's northeast
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021