ECOWAS leaders hold meeting to discuss situations in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso

Accra, Ghana (PANA) - Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opened a day's emergency meeting in Accra on Friday to discuss the political situations in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, which are living under military regimes.

In a brief opening comment, Ghana's President and current chairman of ECOWAS, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, welomed his counterparts to the meeting, which, he said, was strictly a closed session.

He said the meeting would "take stock of our three recalcitrant" members  (Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso) and take the appropriate decisions on the way forward".

The three countries have been suspended by ECOWAS following the overthrow of democratically-elected presidents.

ECOWAS earlier this year imposed sanctions on Mali, including border closures and financial restrictions, after it ignored an agreement to hold elections by the end of February.

-0- PANA MA/RA 25March2022