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ECOWAS suspends Mali over coup

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has suspended Mali after a constitutional court in the landlocked country declared the leader of military junta, Assimi Goita, as the country’s transitional President.

ECOWAS announced the decision late Sunday following an emergency summit of regional leaders in Ghana.

The leaders condemned the coup and demanded the immediate appointment of a civilian head of state as well as a new transitional government composed of civil society and army representatives.

“Mali must also stick to planned elections in February 2022 to put the former French colony back on the path to democracy,” an ECOWAS statement said.

READ ALSO: Buhari to attend ECOWAS summit on Mali

Goita had announced last week that President Bah N’Daw and Prime Minister Mocta Ouane had been deposed.

The two men were later arrested and detained in a military base outside the country’s capital, Bamako.

They were released on Thursday.

Soldiers had in August 2020 ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from office after nearly seven years.

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