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ECOWAS imposes sanctions on Mali junta
The body representing West African nations has imposed severe financial sanctions on Mali, after a 72-hour deadline elapsed and the soldiers that recently seized power failed to fully restore constitutional order.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held an emergency meeting in the capital of Senegal on Monday.
After a three-hour meeting the current chair of the bloc, Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara, emerged to say that the sanctions would go into effect immediately.
They include the closing of the borders with Mali and the freezing of the nation’s account in the regional central bank, which together will likely suffocate the economy of this poor and landlocked nation.
Mali imports its petroleum products from neighbouring Ivory Coast and with the border being closed, the country is likely to run out of gasoline.
It could also plunge the nation of over 15 million into darkness, because the electricity grid is partly powered by diesel during the hot season, when hydropower is ineffective due to the low water table.
“All of the applicable measures are applicable starting today and until the constitutional order is restored,” Ouattara told reporters.
