ECOWAS Summit: Akufo-Addo urges durable solutions to Guinea, Mali crisis

ECOWAS Chairman Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana has charged leaders attending the Extraordinary Summit on the political situations in the Republics of Guinea and Mali to proffer durable solutions to those crisis.

Opening the meeting in Accra on Thursday, President Akufo-Addo said the positive response to the meeting to further deliberate on events in those two countries is “a clear manifestation of the solidarity and commitment of the ECOWAS community to the democracy, peace, prosperity and unity of the region.”

He recalled the coup of 5th September, 2021 in Guinea which toppled the government of President Alpha Conde, and measures taken so far in the interim, including the condemnation of the coup, the suspension of Guinea from the regional forum, and demand for the release of the detained Conde, as well as the establishment of a high level ECOWAS mission to Guinea to assess the situation and report back to the regional authorities.

I count on you, Excellences, to help proffer durable solutions to the crisis and I’m confident that as in the past, we will rise to the occasion.

“The delegation went to Guinea on Friday, the 10th of September, met the military leaders and saw President Alpha Conde at his place of detention. They have made a report to us, which will be the basis of our deliberations at this emergency summit on Guinea. We will receive also a report from the mediator of the Malian crisis, His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on developments in Mali.

“We are required to take informed decisions on these matters. I count on you, Excellences, to help proffer durable solutions to the crisis and I’m confident that as in the past, we will rise to the occasion.”

The soldiers who staged the Guinea coup, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, cite undemocratic practices, hopelessness, non-accountability and mounting unemployment as justification for the coup.

Similarly, soldiers in Mali led by Colonel Assimi Goïta and Colonel-Major Ismaël Wagué capitalised on political unrests following disputed parliamentary elections results in March and April to oust President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé. ECOWAS once again condemned the coup and demanded the reinstallation of President Keïta.