Final Communique: ECOWAS 3rd Extraordinary Session on Mali and Guinea

FINAL COMMUNIQUE  

1. The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic  Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an Extraordinary  Session in Accra, Republic of Ghana, on 7th November 2021, under the  chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic  of Ghana and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority. The Summit was to review  political developments in the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Mali. 
2. Present at the Summit were the under-listed ECOWAS Heads of State and  Government or their duly mandated representatives: 
3. E. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire; H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana; H. E. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau; H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger;
4. E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal; 

H.E. Mariam Chabi Talata, Vice President of the Republic of Benin; H.E. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; H.E. Christophe Joseph Marie Dabire, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso; Hon. Seedy Keita, Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and  Employment of the Republic of The Gambia; 

Hon. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia; 

H.E. Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and  Togolese nationals abroad. 

H.E. Belarmino Silva, Ambassador of the Republic of Cabo Verde to Nigeria; H.E Mrs. Francess Virginia Anderson, High Commissioner of the Republic of  Sierra Leone to Ghana; 

3. The session was also attended by H.E. Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Former  President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS Mediator for Mali,  H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr  Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the United Nations  Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr El-Ghassim  Wane, Head of MINUSMA and Mr Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special  Representative for MISAHEL, representing the President of the African Union  Commission 
4. The Authority expressed solidarity with the Republic of Niger, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Sierra Leone over the incidents 

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that took place in these Member States in which scores of lives were lost due to  terrorism and an inferno, respectively. The Authority observed a minute of  silence in memory of the victims. 

5. The Heads of State and Government were briefed by the Chair of the  ECOWAS Authority, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the outcomes of  his visit to Guinea, accompanied by H.E. Alassane Ouattara, President of the  Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, on 17th September 2021, and his visit to Mali on 17th October 2021. The Authority also considered the report on the political  situation in Mali presented by the ECOWAS Mediator for Mali and the  Memorandum on the political situation in Guinea presented by the President of  the Commission. The Authority commended the quality of the reports. 
6. After the deliberations, the Authority endorsed the main  recommendations contained in the memorandum on the political situation in  the Republic of Guinea and the report on the political situation in the Republic  of Mali. 

On the political transition in the Republic of Guinea  

7. The Authority reaffirms its demand for the unconditional release of  President Alpha Condé. 
8. The Authority takes note of the recent developments in Guinea,  particularly the adoption of the Transition Charter, the appointment of a  civilian Prime Minister and the formation of the Transition Government. It  urges the Transition Authorities to urgently submit a detailed timetable of 

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activities to be carried out under the transition towards the holding of elections,  in accordance with the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS  Heads of State and Government held on 16th September 2021. 

9. The Authority decides to uphold the suspension of the Republic of Guinea  from all ECOWAS governing bodies as well as the travel ban and freeze of  financial assets imposed on the members of the CNRD and their family  members, until constitutional order is restored. 
10. The Authority decides to appoint H.E. Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas as Special Envoy to Guinea with a view to strengthening dialogue with the  Transitional authorities towards a successful and short transition process. 

On the political transition in the Republic of Mali  

11. The Authority remains concerned about the deterioration of the security  situation in Mali, as a result of the heightened political uncertainties in the  country. It calls on the Transition Authorities to intensify their efforts to  improve the security situation, especially by ensuring effective state presence in the affected areas. In this context, the Authority calls on the neighbouring  countries to step up security presence along their borders with Mali and  instructs the ECOWAS Commission to deepen the ongoing discussions with the  African Union Commission with a view to enhancing the security situation in  the Sahel.

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12. Furthermore, the Authority calls for a more robust and offensive  mandate and enhance the operational capacity of MINUSMA to deal with  terrorism challenges in Mali. ECOWAS will accordingly request the United  Nations Security Council to make the necessary amendments to the mandate of  MINUSMA. 
13. On the political front, the Chair of ECOWAS informed the Authority of the  official notification by the transition authorities of their inability to meet the  transition deadline of February 2022. The Authority highly deplores the lack of  progress made in the preparations for the elections, including the absence of a  detailed timetable of activities for the conduct of elections on the agreed dates. 
14. The Authority reiterates the need to adhere to the transition timetable in  respect of the elections scheduled for 27th February 2022 and calls on the  Transition Authorities to act accordingly to ensure expeditious return to constitutional order. Accordingly, the Authority calls on the International  Community to take the necessary measures to ensure that the transition  authorities respect their commitment to an expeditious return to constitutional  order. 
15. In conformity with the decision taken on 16th September 2021, the  Authority decides to impose sanctions with immediate effect against  individuals and groups who have been identified, including the entire  Transition authorities and the other transition institutions. These sanctions  will also be imposed on the members of their families.

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16. The sanctions include a travel ban and a freeze on their financial assets.  It further instructs the President of the Commission to consider and propose  additional sanctions at its next Ordinary Session on 12th December 2021,  should the situation persist. Furthermore, the Authority calls on the African  Union, the United Nations, and the bilateral and other multilateral partners to  endorse and support the implementation of these sanctions. 
17. The Authority condemns the expulsion of the ECOWAS Permanent  Representative to Mali in this critical context and calls on the transition  authorities to uphold the spirit of dialogue and collaboration with the ECOWAS  Commission to ensure a successful transition. 
18. The situation in Mali and Guinea will be reviewed at the Ordinary Summit  of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government on 12th December 2021. 
19. The Authority reaffirms its adherence to all the ECOWAS normative  frameworks, particularly the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy  and Good Governance. 

20. The Heads of State and Government express their deep gratitude to H.E.  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair  of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his leadership  in ensuring the success of the Summit. 

Done at Accra, this 7th day of November 2021  

THE AUTHORITY