ECOWAS Imposes Travel Ban On Guinea Coup Leaders

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed a travel ban on the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), Guinea’s military Junta. West African leaders, in their toughest response to coups in the region, also froze the financial assets of coup leaders for overthrowing Guinea’s constitutionally elected government. ECOWAS, at the Extraordinary Summit held in Accra, Ghana on Thursday, resolved to extend the sanctions to family members of the coup leaders as the bloc demanded a

quick return to civilian rule. The West African leaders made the demand after a summit of the 15-nation regional group to brainstorm on how to respond to the special forces troops commanded by Col. Mamady Doumbouya that overthrew president Alpha Conde on September 5. The bloc also pressured Mali’s transitional government, demanding they stick to an agreement to organise elections next February. ECOWAS further announced sanctions on those it said were frustrating efforts for a return to constitutional rule. “Because they (ECOWAS head of states) are concerned about the slow progress in the preparation of the election, they decided to impose sanctions on those who have negative impact in the implementation of the transition, on the transition electoral process,” said Jean-claude Kassi Brou, ECOWAS President. Mali junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita in May staged another coup, deposing a transitional administration in which he was vice president.