ECOWAS cut ties with Mali
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has decided on Wednesday, to shut down all their land and air borders with Mali after its president announced his resignation in the wake of a military rebellion.
ECOWAS disclosed this in a statement where-in it stated that they will also halt trade relations with Mali.
The economic community underscored the call for sanctions against those who attempted the coup and their co-conspirators, it said a high-level delegation will be sent to the country to establish constitutional order.
READ ALSO: Malian President Ibrahim Keita resigns after military arrest
It also noted that the coup attempt would negatively affect peace and stability efforts in the country and the region.
ECOWAS in the statement vehemently repudiated the toppling of the government and questioned the legitimacy of those attempting the coup.
It further called on all stakeholders to embrace dialogue and diplomacy in a bid to resolve the crisis amicably with a view to sustaining peace and security.
On Wednesday, Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita turned in his resignation, which consequently led to the dissolution of the parliament after he was arrested by mutinying soldiers.
On Tuesday, Keita and Prime Minister Boubou Cisse were taken to the Kati military camp located 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of the capital Bamako at around 4.30 p.m. local time (1630 GMT), according to a report by Le Journal du Mali.
On Tuesday, gunshots were reportedly heard at the camp, while military trucks were also spotted on the road heading towards the capital. The military reportedly blocked the road from the town of Kati to Bamako while businesses and offices were also closed.
Last month, the head of the African Union Commission urged calm, continued dialogue and negotiations for the diligent implementation of consensual solutions to preserve peace, stability and social cohesion in Mali.
