West Africa’s main regional bloc, ECOWAS, has suspended Burkina Faso from its governing bodies over this week’s military coup and decided to send a delegation to the capital Ouagadougou.
Burkina Faso’s army overthrew President Roch Kabore on Monday, presenting the latest test to the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has struggled to mount an effective response to a series of coups in the region over the past 18 months.
It was not immediately known what other sanctions ECOWAS leaders might have decided to impose during an emergency summit held by video conference. An official statement was expected later in the day.
ECOWAS and its international allies have condemned the coup in Burkina Faso, which they fear could further destabilise a country beset by Islamist violence, but find themselves with limited leverage.
ECOWAS sanctions on the juntas that seized power in Mali and Guinea have done little to sway their behaviour, nor did they deter the latest coup.
Pro-democracy activists say ECOWAS is suffering from a crisis of credibility, with West Africans losing faith in regional leaders they see as manipulating the democratic process and failing to alleviate poverty or contain Islamist violence.
In opening remarks to the summit, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo, the acting ECOWAS chairman, acknowledged the organisation has work to do convincing people of the benefits of democracy.
ECOWAS imposed sanctions against Mali and Guinea following military takeovers in August 2020 and September 2021, respectively.
It significantly tightened the sanctions on Mali this month after the transitional government there went back on an earlier commitment to hold elections in February.
The new restrictions included closing member states’ borders with Mali and freezing most financial transactions.
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