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ECOWAS urges Int’l community to provide humanitarian, security support to Burkina Faso

Jul 7, 2022, 12:48 PM | Article By: Bekai Njie

The 61st Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that was held on 3 July 2022 in Accra, Republic of Ghana, in a communiqué, calls on the International Community to provide humanitarian and security support to Burkina Faso.

The Authority acknowledges the progress made by the Mediator in his preliminary engagements with the stakeholders during his initial mission to Burkina Faso.

“The Authority welcomes the proposal by the Transition Authorities for the establishment of a joint Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism with ECOWAS to accompany the Transition process.”

“The Authority welcomes the release of President Roch Marc Christian KABORE and takes note of the new proposed timetable set at 24 months from 1st July 2022.”

“On the basis of the above, the Authority decides:
- to lift the economic and financial sanctions adopted on 25 March, 2022; to uphold the suspension of the country from all ECOWAS decision-making
bodies.”

On Guinea, the Authority reiterates its position on the unacceptability of the 36-month transition timetable announced by the Guinean Authorities.

“The Authority takes note of the decision of the Transition authorities to open a national dialogue which commenced on Monday 27th June 2022 under the auspices of the Prime Minister.”


The Authority also takes note of the renouncement of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as the ECOWAS Mediator to Guinea. Consequently, the Authority appoints H.E. Yayi BONI, former President of the Republic of Benin as the new ECOWAS Mediator to
Guinea.
“The Authority requests the Mediator to work with the Transition Authorities to arrive at an acceptable transition timetable for the transition latest by 1st August 2022.”


“After this deadline, economic and financial sanctions will be enforced as well as targeted sanctions.”

The Authority decides to uphold the suspension of Guinea from all ECOWAS
decision-making bodies.


The Authority decides to remain seized on the situation in Burkina Faso, Guinea and
Mali.
On the review of the 2001 ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, the Authority commends the ECOWAS Commission on the progress recorded during the on-going discussions among Member States. The Authority urges the ECOWAS Commission to continue its engagement with Member States and calls on Member States to work towards building consensus that would
contribute to deepening democracy and ensuring political stability in the region.
“On the ECOWAS mandated peace support operations, the Authority welcomes the deployment of the Support to the Stabilisation Mission to Guinea Bissau and calls on Guinea Bissau political and security actors to facilitate the fulfilment of the
mandate of the Mission. The Authority commends the troops and police contributing countries made up of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal for
their contribution to the peace and stability in the region.”

“On terrorism in the region, the Authority remains concerned with the recurrence of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria and the expansion to Benin and Togo. The Authority strongly condemns these attacks and expresses solidarity with the affected Member States and populations.”

 The Authority welcomes the on-going support, through the 2020-2024 Plan of Action, to
strengthening the operational and logistical capacities of the forces in the frontline
countries and promoting development programmes and humanitarian support in the affected areas.

“The Authority reaffirms its determination to combat relentlessly the scourge of terrorism. To that effect, the Authority reiterates its call on Member States to fulfill their pledges on the voluntary contributions into the dedicated fund to support the implementation of the 2020 – 2024 Action Plan.