The decision was announced in a communique released by the regional body after an emergency summit it held in Ghana to deliberate on the developing situation in Mali.
The issued sanctions would mean that all member states will close all land and air borders with the country whilst also suspending the provision of non-essential financial services to the country, seizing the country’s assets that are in ECOWAS’ commercial banks, and recalling their ambassadors from Mali’s capital in Bamako.
These efforts are supposed to destabilize the military government after reneging on its agreement with the body to hold elections this year. Although the country’s interim government in its reaction to ECOWAS’ move has been immediate as it declared the body’s actions as illegal through its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga.