Panafrican News Agency

Guinea will ignore ECOWAS' directive to close borders with Mali, says junta

Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Guinea's military junta said on Monday that it will ignore a directive from leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to close its borders with Mali.

The National Rally Committee for Development (CNRD), which which has been on the radar of ECOWAS leaders since its coup on 5 September, said in a statement read on television that it was part of the decisions of the summit held in Accra last Sunday.

It will therefore leave its land, sea and air borders open to "all the brotherly countries" of Guinea, which remains committed to its pan-African vision.

The statement reiterated Gunea's willingness to respect and apply bilateral and multilateral agreements, conventions and treaties.

Guinea itself has been under pressure from leaders of ECOWAS to give a firm timetabe for elections following the coup.

ECOWAS leaders had given the Mali military leaders until 27 February to hold elections, but they instead announced a transition timeline of four years.  

At the Accra summit, the heads of state announced a series of stiff measures against Mali including the closure of close land and air borders and the recall of accredited ambassadors.

Other sanctions are suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Mali, with the exception of the following products: essential consumer goods; pharmaceutical products; medical supplies and equipment, including materials for the control of COVID-19; petroleum products and electricity.

In its first reaction, Mali's Colonel Assimi Goita-led interim authority rejected sanctions as "illegal and illegitimate".

-0- PANA AC/JSG/BBA/MA 11Jan2021