The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday imposed a travel ban and froze the financial assets of the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) for overthrowing Guinea’s constitutionally elected government.

ECOWAS said it would work closely with the United Nations, African Union, European Union and other bi-lateral and multi-lateral countries to ensure the implementation of the sanctions.

Additionally, it has given the CNRD six months to organise fresh presidential and parliamentary elections and restore Guinea to constitutional rule, saying it will not accept a long transitional period of military power in that country.

Lieutenant Colonel Doumbouya led Guinea’s military special forces on September 5, 2021, to seized power and arrested President Alpha Condè and suspended the Constitution.

In a Communique issued September 16, 2021, at the end of the second Extraordinary Summit held in Accra, Ghana, on the political situation in Guinea and Mali, the leaders reaffirmed their support to help Guinea restore constitutional rule.

The regional bloc reaffirmed its call for the immediate and unconditional release of the ousted president, Alpha Condè, from detention. It reminded members of the CNRD that they were individually and collectively responsible for the physical safety of President Alpha Conde.

The regional bloc said it will continue to uphold the suspension of Guinea from all ECOWAS governing bodies until the restoration of constitutional order. Members of the Authority requested the Chair, President Akufo-Addo, to visit Guinea and Mali as soon as possible to convey the Authority’s decision in person.

On the political impasse in Mali, the leaders of ECOWAS urged the Malian Transitional Authority to take steps and announce the timetable for the general elections scheduled for February 2022.

ECOWAS said the timelines for elections in Mali is not negotiable and called for strict adherence to the “transition timetable leading to the effective conduct of elections within the non-negotiable deadline of February 2022” to restore civilian rule.

“To this end, the Authority calls on the transitional authorities to submit, by the end of October 2021 at the latest, the timetable setting out the essential steps for February 2022 elections,” the regional bloc stated.