On 19 June, the heads of state of the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS) met in Accra for the 59th summit of the sub-regional organisation. Three weeks after suspending Mali’s membership from the organisation – following the putsch led by current president Assimi Goïta on 24 May – the heads of state took note of the goodwill of Mali’s transition authorities and that positive developments have been made, the Malian Press Agency (AMAP) learned from an official source.
Based on the report presented by the ECOWAS special envoy to Mali, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, the leaders of the organisation reviewed the political situation in Mali.
"There is a positive development [...] A civilian prime minister has been appointed in accordance with the decision of the heads of state,” Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, president of the ECOWAS Commission, told the media.
Additionally, Brou insisted on the implementation of the decisions taken on 30 May during the extraordinary summit in Accra, which had led to Mali’s suspension from ECOWAS, and in particular on the respect of the date of the presidential election set for 27 February 2022.
In addition to the situation in Mali, the leaders present at the summit reviewed other issues such as the progress of the institutional reform, the 2050 vision of ECOWAS, the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Other regional issues were discussed, including the humanitarian situation in the member states, and a particular emphasis was placed on the political and security developments which threaten peace and stability of the region.
The ECOWAS chair and Ghanaian president, Akufo-Addo, particularly insisted on tackling the terrorist threat and violent extremism in the sub-region, calling for the strengthening of each country’s commitment, because to him, it is “a question of dignity and security for all”.
