ECOWAS imposes strict sanctions on Mali’s junta

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has imposed diplomatic and financial sanctions previously announced on Mali’s junta, effective immediately, to press for the restoration of constitutional order in the west African nation. Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara said after a summit held in Dakar, capital of Senegal, on Monday that ECOWAS decided to impose sanctions on Mali’s junta, including closing borders and freezing the country’s access to the regional central bank. All of the diplomatic, economic, financial and other applicable measures would be in place starting Sunday and would remain in place until the constitutional order is restored, Ouattara said.ECOWAS said last week that it would impose severe sanctions on th junta, which overthrew President Amadou Toumani Toure in a coup, unless it surrendered power within 72 hours. The decision will come into effect despite the junta on Sunday announcing to restore the country’s constitution of Feb. 25 of 1992 to pave the way for a transition leading to the presidential election.Leaders of the ECOWAS member countries also decided to deploy military force in northern Mali to stop rebellion raging there, according to Ouattara. They would meet for this purpose in Abidjan this week to define how to activate the force, he said. “We are committed to the territorial integrity of Mali. This is why we decided the immediate establishment of the force of ECOWAS to standby,” he said, adding the organization would deploy “all necessary means to stop this rebellion.