VS’is news that could affect the ongoing diplomatic balance of power between West African leaders and the Malian transitional authorities. A court of justice of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) ordered this Thursday, March 24 the suspension of sanctions imposed last January by West Africa against Mali.
The news was announced by lawyers from the Malian state before the institution confirmed it. “The WAEMU Court of Justice, seized by the lawyers of the Malian State, ordered “the stay of execution” of the sanctions pronounced by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of WAEMU during its session extraordinary meeting held in Accra on January 9,” the order states.
Harsh penalties
WAEMU then suspended Mali from its bodies, endorsed sanctions taken by ECOWAS such as the freezing of the financial assets of around 150 personalities linked to the Malian junta, and above all announced “vigorous additional sanctions including in particular economic and financial”.
She had said that she would show solidarity with the retaliatory measures subsequently taken by ECOWAS, of which the WAEMU countries are all members.
In the wake of the WAEMU summit, ECOWAS announced the closure of borders with Mali and suspended financial and commercial exchanges other than basic necessities.
The regional organizations were thus cracking down on the plan then displayed by the military to remain at the head of the state for up to five more years, when they had initially committed to organizing elections in February 2022 which would have brought civilians back to the leadership of this country caught in the security and political turmoil since 2012.
The potential impact of these sanctions on a poor, landlocked country has sparked deep concern, but also widespread resentment, beyond Mali, against regional organizations. The Malian authorities have accused ECOWAS of allowing itself to be exploited by France, in the midst of diplomatic tensions between Bamako and Paris.
A long-awaited summit
In mid-February, a group of lawyers mandated by the Malian government seized the WAEMU court of justice with two requests: one to request the cancellation of illegal sanctions according to them, and another to suspend them.
It is on this last request that the court ruled while waiting to rule on the merits. The court notes that it can order a stay of execution in case of “emergency”. The arguments of the State of Mali as to this urgency are “founded insofar as (the) application (of) sanctions risks leading to consequences that are difficult to repair in view of the social, economic and financial impact “, she says.
The consequences for ECOWAS sanctions were initially unclear. The decision of the Court of Justice should weigh on a new extraordinary summit of ECOWAS scheduled for Friday in Ghana.
ECOWAS has so far conditioned a gradual lifting of its retaliatory measures on the presentation by the authorities of an “acceptable” electoral calendar. ECOWAS mediator Goodluck Jonathan left Mali on Sunday without reaching an agreement with the junta on this point.
ECOWAS has so far requested the organization of elections within 12 to 16 months. During the visit of the mediator Goodluck Jonathan a few days ago, the government installed by the military itself admitted that the leader of the junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta, had reduced the initial claims to two more years before the holding of elections.
ECOWAS invited Colonel Goïta, who took power by force with other colonels in August 2020 and was sworn in as president following a second putsch in May 2021, to take part in the summit. However, according to several sources, including a letter from Foreign Affairs consulted by AFP, the Malian colonel will not be able to participate. He expresses his “availability to interact” with West African leaders by videoconference, says this letter sent to ECOWAS.
Mali will send a delegation of four ministers, including the head of diplomacy Abdoulaye Diop.