Politics

Military rule: ECOWAS leaders to meet in Ghana over Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso. More sanctions?

Published

2 years ago

July 1, 2022

The leaders of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will be meeting at a highly anticipated summit in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday.

ECOWAS leaders will meet to decide on sanctions against Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, three countries that have suffered coups.

The bloc has pushed for a swift return of civilians to power might consider, tough trade and financial retaliation measures imposed on Mali since January, and the lesser ones on Burkina Faso and Guinea.

Although the juntas in the three countries have made relative moves into civil government, with the latest being Mali who earlier today announced a calendar for nationwide elections with a presidential election schedule for 2024. ECOWAS does not seem to be impressed nor convinced.

Guinea junta on its own after it has received “proposals” for a political transition announced a 39 months transition period before the country returns to civilian rule.

The junta in Burkina Faso in March had announced a three years transition period to return to civil rule. At the heart of Issoufou’s mediation is the duration of the transition period in Burkina Faso.

The West African region has been rocked by two coups in Mali, one in Guinea and one in Burkina Faso since August 2020. While ECOWAS ‘stand to have democracy restored in the countries is understandable, the morality and effectiveness of its sanctions on the countries can be scrutinized, particularly because the heat of the sanctions are most felt by the public, whose interest ECOWAS believes it represents. Paradox?

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.