The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday recanted on economic sanctions imposed on Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, lifted the suspensions on these countries with immediate effect.
This followed hours-long deliberations by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at an extraordinary summit on the political, peace, and security situation in the region at the State House, Abuja.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, who announced the Authority’s resolutions, said it has suspended the closure of the land and air border to Niger, a no-fly zone of all commercial flights.
It has also suspended 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.
t also lifted the travel ban on members of the military junta and their families.
Touray said the move is “based on humanitarian considerations due to lent and the approaching month of Ramadan.”
The authority also lifted sanctions on the election of Mali citizens to ECOWAS positions.
It also lifted sanctions on Guinea, inviting all four countries to attend technical consultative meetings of ECOWAS going forward.
ECOWAS also asked its withdrawing member states to reconsider their decision in view of the benefits enjoyed by their citizens.
SEE DETAILS OF LIFTED SANCTION
1. Closure of Land and air borders between ECOWAS and Niger Republic lifted.
2. Institution of ECOWAS no-flight zone to all commercial flights to and fro Niger Republic lifted.
3. Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS member states and Niger Republic lifted.
4. Freezing of all service transactions including energy transactions lifted.
5. Freezing of assets of Niger Republic in all ECOWAS Central banks lifted.
6. Freezing of all Niger State and the state enterprises and Parastatals in commercial banks lifted.
7. Suspension of Niger Republic from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions lifted.
8. Imposition of travel bans on the military officials and their families involved in the coup attempt including anyone who accepts to take a position in the military government lifted.
