Mali's military leader open to dialogue with ECOWAS after sanctions

France24
11 Jan 2022, 09:37 GMT+10

Mali's military leader Assimi Goita said on Monday that he remains open to dialogue with the ECOWAS regional bloc after it imposed sanctions on Bamako over delayed elections.

"Even if we regret the illegitimate, illegal and inhumane nature of certain decisions, Mali remains open to dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States to find a consensus," Goita said on state TV after the bloc imposed a trade embargo and border blockade on Mali at a weekend meeting.

ECOWAS leaders also agreed to cut financial aid, freeze Mali's assets at the Central Bank of West African States, and to recall their ambassadors from the country.

The sanctions followed a proposal from Mali's army-dominated government last month to stay in power for up to five years before staging elections -- despite international demands that it respect a promise to hold elections in February.

ECOWAS also rejected a revised proposal the regime submitted to the bloc on the eve of the weekend summit.

After an earlier wave of sanctions from ECOWAS following the 2020 coup, Goita had promised to restore civilian rule in February 2022 presidential and legislative elections.

(AFP)

Originally published on France24

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Sierra Leone Times.

More Information

28 ℃

Partly Cloudy in Seletar

Business

Section

Japanese stock markets records major falls

SYDNEY, NSW, Australia - Stocks in Asia were mixed on Wednesday. The biggest move was the Japanese market which saw ...

UK imports to Ireland fell, trade with N. Ireland up due to Brexit

DUBLIN, Ireland: Since Brexit went into effect in 2020, Ireland has witnessed a 20 percent decline in goods exported from ...

At 3.45%, mortgage rates highest in US since pandemic struck

WASHINGTON D.C.: According to a closely watched survey, U.S. mortgage rates have reached levels not seen since March 2020. In ...

U.S. stocks shatter, Nasdaq loses 387 points

NEW YORK, New York - A major rise in U.S. Treasury yields and a sell-off of financial stocks rocked Wall ...

Wild boar found with swine fever in Italy, could close pork industry

PIEDMONT, Italy: Earlier this month, a case of African swine fever, which can be deadly to pigs but harmless to ...

During lockdown, free flowers handed out to mark Tulip Day

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: As stores in Amsterdam and across the Netherlands cautiously reopened after a COVID-19 lockdown, thousands of free bunches ...

Africa

Section