West Africa's main regional bloc on Sunday agreed to close borders with Mali and impose sweeping economic sanctions in response to 'unacceptable' delays holding promised elections after a 2020 military coup.
Colonel Assimi Goita, leader of Malian military junta, attends the Economic Community of West African States consultative meeting in Accra, Ghana September 15, 2020. REUTERS/ Francis KokorokoACCRA, Jan 9 - West Africa's main regional bloc on Sunday agreed to close borders with Mali and impose sweeping economic sanctions in response to "unacceptable" delays holding promised elections after a 2020 military coup.
The decision followed a summit of leaders of Economic Community of West African States to discuss a proposal from Mali's transitional authorities to hold elections in December 2025 instead of next month as originally agreed.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comThis timetable "simply means that an illegitimate military transition Government will take the Malian people hostage," it said.
The 15-member bloc said it had agreed to impose additional sanctions with immediate effect, including the closure of members' land and air borders with Mali, the suspension of non-essential financial transactions, and the freezing of Malian state assets in ECOWAS central and commercial banks.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comMore from ReutersSubscribe for our daily curated newsletter to receive the latest exclusive Reuters coverage delivered to your inbox.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mali eyes elections in four years as West African bloc mulls sanctionsMali's interim authorities have slightly reduced the proposed length of a transition back to democracy following a 2020 military coup to four years from five years, the chairman of the West African bloc said on Sunday.
Read more »
CDC director says US may see 'precipitous decline' in omicron cases like South Africa'I do think in places that we are seeing this really steep incline, that we may well see also a precipitous decline, but we're also a much bigger country than South Africa.'
Read more »
Rapid epidemic expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in southern AfricaNature research paper: Rapid epidemic expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in southern Africa
Read more »
Rapid epidemic expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in southern AfricaNature research paper: Rapid epidemic expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in southern Africa
Read more »
Nutrient-rich fish are thriving in a coral graveyard off the coast of AfricaOff the coast of Seychelles, fish that feed the population are more nutritious now than before a disastrous coral reef bleaching event decades ago.
Read more »