West African leaders lifted sanctions on Mali's military regime, accepting a March 2024 return to civilian rule and agreed to allow Burkina Faso two years for its transition back to democracy. Heads of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met in Ghana's capital Accra to assess efforts to secure guarantees for restoring civilian rule in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso.
Mali underwent coups in August 2020 and May 2021, followed by Guinea in September 2021 and Burkina Faso this January. Fearing contagion in a region known for military takeovers, ECOWAS imposed tough trade and economic sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina.
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