Mali’s junta has removed a major obstacle to the lifting of ECOWAS sanctions. by withdrawing their transition leader. Africa News reports that the soldiers who overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta on August 18 have renounced that Colonel Assimi Goïta could replace the civilian president in the transition.

The removal of Goita had been a key demand of the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), for the lifting of sanctions imposed on Mali on August 20. Mali had faced a commercial and financial embargo, amongst other sanctions since the August coup. The soldiers whose coup ended months of political protests pledged to return power to civilians after a transitional period of 18 months.

According to Africa News, the sanctions could be lifted quickly. An ECOWAS representative, Hamidou Boly, said, “Maybe in the hours or days to come, as soon as the charter is published, we will lift the sanctions.”

The junta is reportedly concerned regarding the effect of the sanctions on a country already in an economic slump.

Umm Muhammed Umar