Credit: ecowas.int/  The Economic Community of West African States, also known as ECOWAS, is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. 

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) lifted  crippling sanctions imposed on Mali following a military coup in August that overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.  ECOWAS cited the recent appointments of the president and prime minister, among other developments, as reason ending sanctions.   In a statement Wednesday, ECOWAS made note of the nomination of retired Colonel Bah Ndaw as interim president and former Foreign Minister Moctar Ouane as prime minister of the transition that is expected to last 18 months.  Colonel Assimi Goita,  a Malian military officer and the leader of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, (CNSP) a military junta that seized power from former President Keïta , officially holds the post of interim vice president.  While ECOWAS has reportedly had concerns about Goïta’s role, these were apparently mitigated when the CNSP published the transitional charter on 1 October, which limits the vice-president’s responsibilities to defence and security and excludes a provision from an earlier draft of the charter allowing the vice-president to replace the transitional president, according to the ECOWAS announcement.   In lifting sanctions, ECOWAS reiterated demands that the new authorities release all military and civilian personnel still being detained since the coup and dissolve the CNSP. (Keïta was released from detention in late August and travelled to the UAE on 7 September for medical treatment).

Former armed groups that signed a peace agreement in 2015 will also be represented in the transitional government. Members of Tuareg groups in 2012 led a rebellion in the north were awarded the agriculture and fisheries as well as youth and sports ministries, while pro-Bamako groups also received posts.