Ecowas heads of state have decided against imposing any sanctions on Burkina Faso after concluding their meeting in Ghana’s capital Accra on Thursday.
Soldiers seized power Burkina Faso last month, ousting President Roch Kabore, an action that led to Burkina Faso’s suspension from ECOWAS and the African Union.
The West African leaders have asked the junta release unconditionally, ousted President Kabore and rapidly propose an election timetable.
There were no extra sanction because Burkina Faso coup leaders showed willingness to work towards a return to constitutional order, according to the President of ECOWAS Commission.
Commission President Jean Claude Kassi Brou told reporters on Thursday that there was no need to impose more sanctions against the military because of their posture.- Advertisement –
“We have engaged them. And they have shown interest that they want to work with ECOWAS towards the restoration of constitutional order,” Brou said.
He added that “Since they have shown the ability to work with ECOWAS, we can’t just impose the maximum sanctions”.
Ecowas leaders though have expressed concern about the resurgence of coups in the region.
They fear the worrying trend could devastate the entire region if not tackled quickly as they discuss a way out in Thursday’s meeting.- Advertisement –
Apart from Burkina Faso, soldiers have already taken over power in Mali and Guinea, crises ECOWAS is yet to resolve.
On Tuesday there was another failed coup attempt in Guinea-Bissau where the president Umaro Sissoco Embaló and his cabinet survived an attempt on their lives as well.
The chair of ECOWAS, Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo told his colleagues at the opening session of the summit that they must “address this dangerous trend collectively and decisively before it devastates the whole region.”
Akufo-Addo also described the resurgence of coups in the region as a “matter of grave concern” that must be tackled seriously.
