West African leaders were due to meet in Ghana to discuss a response to Mali’s second coup in nine months.

• Since 1960, when Mali gained independence from France, there have been five coups — and only one peaceful transition from one democratically elected president to another.
• But on Monday, soldiers detained transitional President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane, releasing them on Thursday while saying that they had resigned.

Recent coup

• Nine months ago, President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was overthrown in the wake of mass anti-government protests.
• Last week, the announcement of a new cabinet was made that excluded two key military leaders. Following this, the army has detained the President and the Prime Minister.

About ECOWAS

• The Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen countries, founded in 1975 via the treaty of Lagos.
• Mission: To promote economic integration in “all fields of economic activity, particularly industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions, social and cultural matters.
• Vision: Creation of a borderless region where the population has access to its abundant resources and is able to exploit same through the creation of opportunities under a sustainable environment.
• ECOWAS can be divided into two sub-regional blocs:

1. West African Economic and Monetary Union – established in 1994
2. West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) – established in 2000

• ECOWAS is meant to be a region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance.
• The member countries of ECOWAS comprises: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now