African NGOs demand that ECOWAS lift its sanctions on coup states

A number of African non-governmental organizations have come together to act against sanctions imposed by regional political and economic union ECOWAS. Their aim is to achieve the lifting of sanctions against four countries in the Sahel region, outlet Le Faso.net has reported. 

The complaint, which has been filed with the 15-country union’s Community Court, challenges the legality of the restrictions ECOWAS has imposed on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Guinea, following the coups in those countries. 

Among the non-profit and non-governmental groups bringing the action are the Coalition of African Patriots of Burkina Faso (COPA/BF) and Youth for Peace and Security – Africa (YPS-Africa) of Ghana.

Because of the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on the four post-coup states, land and air borders with the four post-coup countries are closed, transport of food and medications to them is restricted and access to medical care and education is denied to more than 100 million citizens, the authors of the complaint said.

“These severe and colonial-influenced sanctions are not only immoral but also illegal and undemocratic because they are not supported by any law or provision. We asked the ECOWAS Court to take into account human-rights violations, discussions on the human rights of the African Union, the revised ECOWAS Treaty and its protocols, as well as international laws, to declare sanctions against citizens ILLEGAL,” Le Faso.net quotes from the Complainants’ text. 

According to the diverse organizations taking the action, ECOWAS’ sanctions have already resulted in the death of more than 125,000 people, with women and children suffering as a result. 

The first set of sanctions against Niger was imposed by ECOWAS (aka CEDEAO) leaders at their emergency summit in July. All borders with Niger were immediately closed, the flow of goods was stopped, and air traffic banned.

Sanctions against Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, where military coups d’etat have also taken place, will continue, ECOWAS has stated.

The union imposed severe sanctions on Mali after its coup in May 2021, and closed land and air borders with the state because of the new rulers’ postponement of elections. Malian provisional authorities proposed that the vote be postponed to December 2025.

In September 2022, the union decided to impose sanctions against the military government of Guinea. In September 2021 the commander of the elite unit of the Guinean Special Forces announced the seizure of power and the detention of President Alpha Conde. The rebels have repealed the constitution and established decision-making bodies to govern the country.

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