News:
May 28, 2021
Chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Governments, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana has condemned the recent military coup in Mali, calling for the immediate need to convene a meeting with his colleagues.
He made this remark on Thursday, May 27,2021 in Abuja during the opening of the 2021 First Extra Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament.
According to him, ECOWAS has spent a lot of political and material resources in restoring democracy to Mali after the last junta in 2020, hence the need for decisive actions by ECOWAS Presidents on Mali.
He, however, noted that as Chair of the Authority, he already sent a high-level mediation team led by former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan to look into the crises but was yet to receive reports on the situation.
“We condemn the unfortunate situation of Mali which ECOWAS has invested so much of its political and material resources. As current Chair of the Authority, I authorized an ECOWAS delegation comprising a high-level mediator in the Malian crises, former President of the Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Botchway who is also Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Chair of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Brou to access the situation and report back to me”.
According to him, he is yet to receive first-hand report on the situation due to bad weather conditions that affected travels.
“My take is that we should call on the immediate Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of States and Governments which is responsible for ironing out the transitional arrangement to decide on the way forward for ECOWAS and Mali”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com