West African bloc ECOWAS suspends Mali’s membership after coup -minister

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday suspended Mali’s membership of the regional bloc in response to last week’s coup, Ghana’s foreign minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, said after a summit in Accra to respond to the crisis.

Meanwhile on Sunday it was reported that West African leaders will meet and discuss on how to respond to a coup in Mali.

The revolt has prompted sanctions warnings from foreign powers, which fear it will derail a promised transition back to democracy following another coup last August led by Goita, an army colonel.

He was appointed interim president on Friday, setting Mali on a collision course with the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has insisted the transition, which is due to end with elections in February, should be led by civilians.

Assimi Goita, was named interim Malian president after leading the takeover last week.

Goita has flown to Accra for the summit, according to his administration. The talks are scheduled to start at 1400 GMT.

ECOWAS closed borders with landlocked Mali and halted financial transactions in response to last year’s coup.

The sanctions led to a 30% slump in imports before they were lifted last October.

The bloc and Western powers including France and the United States fear the political crisis could exacerbate instability in northern and central Mali, a home base for regional affiliates of al Qaeda and Islamic State.