France, US Support ECOWAS On Mali As Junta Calls For Protests

France president, Emmanuel Macron, on Tuesday said his government supports the sanctions imposed on Mali by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, even though the military junta in the country had urged citizens to protest what it described as “extreme” decision by Friday.

“We are in complete solidarity with the region and with this very courageous and clear stance,” Macron told newsmen about the ECOWAS recent additional sanctions.

The United States is also backing the decision but the Russian Government said Mali was facing difficulty because of the regional body’s sanctions.

The ECOWAS sanction, which include air and land blockade, was a response to the military transition committee’s shifting of Mali’s democratic election from 2022 to December 2025.

ECOWAS described it as “unacceptable”.

The junta, on Monday responded to the sanctions by recalling the country’s ambassadors from ECOWAS member states.

Recall that Colonel Assimi Goita, the country’s current leader, was part of the mutinying soldiers that engaged in a coup that removed the country’s Prime Minister, Boubou Cisse, and the President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, from office in August 2020.

Mali said it would take steps” to ensure the normal supply of the country by all appropriate means,” while asking for dialogue.