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

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  suspended Guinea from its regional bloc after Sunday’s military coup removed long-time president Alpha Condé from power.  The decision was made during an  Extraordinary Session via video conference on Wednesday under the chairmanship of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chair of the Authority, to review the political situation in Guinea and the political transition in Mali.  The Authority decided to suspend Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies with immediate effect; and  to immediately dispatch a high-level ECOWAS mission to Guinea to assess the situation.

“The Authority expresses deep concern over the political developments in the Republic of Guinea following the coup d’état of 5 September 2021 and their consequences for regional peace and stability. It reaffirms its unreserved opposition to any political change by unconstitutional means and condemns, in the strongest terms, this coup. The Authority demands respect for the physical safety of the President of the Republic and Head of State, H.E. Alpha Condé, and his immediate and unconditional release, as well as that of all arrested persons. It holds the coup plotters, under the aegis of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), individually and collectively responsible for the physical safety of President Alpha Condé and the arrested persons.”

-Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

The Authority also calls for the immediate return to constitutional order and demands that the Defence and Security Forces maintain a constitutional posture. “The Heads of State and Government express their solidarity with the people of Guinea and affirm their determination to take every necessary action for the restoration of constitutional order in Guinea, in conformity with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.”

ECOWAS Silent When Conde “Illegally”  Changed Constitution To Give Him A Third Term as President

President Conde is 83-years-old and his second and final five-year term in office was supposed to end in 2020.  Mass protests erupted in Guinea at the  time , with numerous  persons killed during demonstrations calling for Conde to  give up power.  Conde went on to win the  October 2020 election , with dozens of opposition  reported killed.

President Alpha Condé of Guinea, speaking at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, 20 January 2020 (Credit: DFID – UK Department for International Development)

ECOWAS did not raise any concern after Conde mastermined his “Illegal”  Constitutional change that allowed him to run for a third term in office.   ECOWAS also looked the other way as many opponents of Conde were killed and jailed.