The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) lifted economic sanctions on Niger, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali on Saturday.
Allub Times reports that sanctions were imposed in response to military coups in those countries. However, the nations announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS in a joint statement issued by their military leaders on January 28, 2023.
Following a meeting at the state house on Saturday, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government decided to lift the sanctions after discussing the political, peace, and security situation in the region.
Below are the economic sanctions lifted:
- ECOWAS lifted the travel ban on members of the military junta and their families.
- It lifted the freezing of all financial transactions between ECOWAS states and Niger, including transactions relating to the bloc’s central bank and the unfreezing of all of Niger’s assets at EBID.
- It also suspended the travel ban on members of the military junta and their families.
- It suspended sanctions on the election of Mali citizens to ECOWAS positions.
- It lifted sanctions on Guinea, inviting all four countries to attend technical consultative meetings of ECOWAS going forward.
- It suspended the closure of borders, including land and air, between the Niger Republic and ECOWAS.
- It urged its withdrawing member states to reconsider their decision in view of the benefits enjoyed by their citizens.
