Mali, Potential Socio-Economic, Security Disaster For W’Africa – Buhari

– ECOWAS Tightens Blockade, Insists On Return Of Constitutional Order

– Jonathan, Kassi Brou To Lead Another Delegation To Mali

President Muhammadu Buhari warned on Thursday that the unfolding crisis in Mali could pose grave socio-economic and security threats to the rest of West Africa if the restoration of constitutional order was delayed further.

He called on the military mutineers, who took control of government in Mali on Tuesday to release President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and other detainees, a position already taken by the Economic Community of West African States.

Buhari spoke during the virtual Summit of ECOWAS’ Heads of State and Governments convened over the Malian crisis.

He noted that unless constitutional order was restored, Mali and the rest of the sub-region would pay a huge price for the expected spiralling of security and socio-economic fallouts.
 
He stated, “Indeed, it saddens me greatly as we meet today to discuss the turn of events in Mali, which commenced on Tuesday this week, where President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, his Prime Minister and senior members of his government were arrested, resulting in the forceful resignation of the President as well as the dissolution of the Parliament.”

Buhari regretted that so far, the painstaking efforts made by ECOWAS to nip the crisis in the bud had failed, resulting in Mali turning into a “security disaster”.

Buhari added, “ECOWAS interventions, through series of efforts by Ministers, the Special Envoy and Chief Mediator and a group of Heads of State of our Organisation as well as an Extraordinary Summit did not yield positive results.

“Today, Mali has not only descended into political chaos, but also socio-economic and security disaster with potential tragic consequences to Mali and the sub-region.”

He appealed to the African Union, United Nations and other international bodies to sustain their opposition to the coupists by teaming up with ECOWAS to restore democratic order to Mali.

“I am pleased that ECOWAS, African Union, UN and others issued strongly worded statements against the action of the Malian military. The events in Mali are great setbacks for regional diplomacy which have grave consequences for the peace and security of West Africa. I am pleased therefore, that this Extraordinary Summit, holding to discuss pathways to the debacle we face today in Mali, is most timely and appropriate.

“We need to isolate series of sanctions-regimes that can create and sustain sufficient pressures on the military to force a return to the status quo. The critical issues for resolution in the Malian crisis had been aptly captured as the four-point pathways to peace.

“Within that context, and if all parties to the crisis were to abide by those recommendations, the developments now on ground would have been avoided”, he told the session.

Buhari maintained that Nigeria stood with ECOWAS on all the actions taken to address the crisis so far.

He spoke more, “The action of the military in Mali has regrettably hoisted on us as a sub-region, the need to decide the options that will be consistent with the provisions of the Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy, which ECOWAS, AU, and the UN subscribe to. In this context, therefore, Nigeria subscribes to the under-listed recommendations for action by our Organisation:
“(a) President Keita and other detainees should be released unconditionally and with immediate effect. (b) Nigeria supports the efforts of President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, for wider regional and continental consultations, especially on the possibility of detaching ECOWAS and AU troops with the UN Mission in Mali, to protect State Institutions and also act as first layer of defence in the country to help preserve and protect lives and property.”

The Presidency stated after the summit that the ECOWAS leaders insisted on the restoration of democratic order in Mali.

Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, giving the highlights of decisions taken at the summit, wrote, “Among the Declarations of the summit were: firmness on the restoration of Constitutional order; release of President Keita and all those arrested; stoppage of economic relations with Mali, with exceptions granted to staple foods, fuel and medication, for the sake of the people; continued engagement with all parties to the crisis, while the Special Envoy appointed to mediate, former President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, along with Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of ECOWAS Commission, are to visit Mali to convey the decisions of the West African leaders.”