Heads of State And Government Of ECOWAS  Demand For Release Of President Alpha Conde

The Heads of State and Government took note of the Report of the high-level Mission dispatched to the Republic of Guinea on 10 September 2021, following the Extraordinary Session of the Authority held via videoconference on 8 September 2021. 

Heads of State And Government Of ECOWAS  Demand For Release Of President Alpha Conde
Alpha Conde

The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reiterated its unreserved condemnation of the coup of Guinea which occurred on September 5, 2021, and reaffirmed its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of President Alpha Conde.

The Authority also reminded members of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) that they are individually and collectively responsible for the physical safety of President Alpha Conde.


   
This was contained in the communique issued by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS after its Extraordinary Session on 16 September 2021 in Accra.

The meeting which was held under the chairmanship of President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the Authority, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, was aimed to review political developments in the Republic of Guinea.  

The Heads of State also reviewed the latest development of the transition in the Republic of Mali. 
 
Present at the Summit were the under-listed ECOWAS Heads of State and Government or their duly mandated representatives: H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kabore, President of Burkina Faso;  H.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 Georges Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia; H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger and H.E. Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal.

The other prominent personalities in the event include H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, President of the Togolese Republic; H.E. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;  H.E. Aurélien A. Agbenonci, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Benin; 
H.E. Filomena Mendes Gonϛalves, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cabo Verde; H.E. Mamadou Tangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia.

The session was also attended by H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ECOWAS Mediator to Mali, and H.E. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa. 
 
The Heads of State and Government took note of the Report of the high-level Mission dispatched to the Republic of Guinea on 10 September 2021, following the Extraordinary Session of the Authority held via videoconference on 8 September 2021. 

 They also took note of the report on the political transition in the Republic of Mali, presented by the Mediator H.E Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. 

They commended the quality of the reports and the relevance of the recommendations contained therein. 
 
The Authority, after deliberations, endorsed the main recommendations contained in the Mission's report. 
 
The Authority was apprised of the current socio-political situation in the Republic of Guinea and of the apparent commitment of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) to work towards a swift return to constitutional order.

 It also took note of the CNRD's decision to hold consultations with all national and international stakeholders on the socio-political situation in the Republic of Guinea.

The Authority expressed its concern about the resurgence of coups after the coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021. 
 
After consideration of the Report and subsequent deliberations, the Authority decides to uphold the suspension of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies until the restoration of constitutional order; to ensure the conduct of presidential and legislative elections within six (6) months to restore constitutional rule in the Republic of Guinea; to impose sanctions, by extant ECOWAS Protocols, of travel bans on the members of the CNRD and their family members and the freeze of their financial assets.

It further decided to call on the African Union, the European Union, the United Nations, and other multilateral and bilateral partners to support the implementation of these sanctions; e. to ensure that no member of the CNRD is allowed to contest in the presidential election and ECOWAS to accompany Guinea in the swift resolution of the crisis and the preparations for the elections. 
 
The Authority called on the African Union, the United Nations and development partners to endorse the decisions and support the restoration of constitutional rule in the Republic of Guinea. 
 
Members of the Authority requested the Chair of the Authority to visit the Republics of Guinea and Mali as soon as possible to convey in person the decision of the Authority. 
 
The Authority decided to remain actively seized on the matter of the political transition in the Republic of Mali 
 
The Authority remained deeply concerned about the slow pace of preparations for the elections scheduled for late February 2022 in the Republic of Mali. 
 
The Authority reiterated its demands for strict adherence to the transition timetable leading to the effective conduct of elections within the non-negotiable deadline of February 2022. 

To this end, the Authority calls on the transitional authorities to submit, by the end of October 2021 at the latest, the timetable, for setting out the essential steps to be taken for the February 2022 elections.

 It insisted on the implementation of only the necessary reforms for the conduct of elections on the agreed date. 
 
The Authority decided to impose targeted sanctions against persons or groups of persons whose actions hurt the transition timetable, as decided by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.

These sanctions, according to the Authority would include a travel ban on such persons and their family members and the freezing of their financial assets. 

To this end, the Authority instructed the President of the ECOWAS Commission to compile and submit a list of such persons and groups of persons. 

The Authority strongly condemned the continued arrest and detention of political leaders and opponents by the transitional authorities.

It also demanded that the issue be handled in line with the rule of law and respect for human rights. 

Regarding security, the Authority strongly condemned the decision of the transitional authorities to hire private security companies in Mali and is greatly concerned about its consequences on the deterioration of the security situation in Mali and the region as a whole. 

 Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater Accra Regional Correspondent