By Jacob Kubeka –
Ecowas has named almost the entire membership of Mali’s transition government on a list of individuals who have been sanctioned.
The list, which was made public on Wednesday via an Ecowas statement, included 149 individuals, including the 121 members of the National Transitional Council. They also include 21 ministers, including Choguel Maiga, the Interim Prime Minister.
Only Colonel Assimi Goita, the coup leader and transition president, and Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop were left off the list.
Individuals’ financial assets will be frozen, and they will be barred from traveling. It is forbidden for men, women, and their family members to travel with them.
Analysts say the president and foreign minister were excluded from the list in order to keep a line of communication with the regional block on the fate of the country.
Ecowas has been pressing the Malian junta to hand over power to a civilian administration after two coups since last year.
The bloc ordered the military to conduct elections and hand over power by early next year. But the Malian authorities say the time frame is not tenable.
Ecowas had threatened to impose sanctions on all those participating in efforts to frustrate the transition process.
The standup with the regional bloc started with the overthrow of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in August 2020.
In the face of the threat of sanctions, the junta set up a transition administration led by a civilian president. About 10 months later, Goita staged a second coup, removing the civilian leadership after accusing them of violating the transition charter. Since then, the 38-year-old Colonel has been in charge as interim president.
Current Prime Minister Maiga was appointed as part of efforts to garner the public’s support for the junta.
AFP
