After more than a month of embargo imposed on Mali following the overthrow of the constitutional order, the Heads of State and Government of the Community of West African States decided on Tuesday "to lift the sanctions on Mali". The communiqué signed by the current President of ECOWAS, Ghanaian Nana Addo Dankwa Ankufo-Addo, notes notable progress towards constitutional normalization. Among these advances, the communiqué announcing the lifting of sanctions on Mali cites "the choice of a civilian President to lead the transition, the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister, the publication of the Transition Charter in the Official Journal of the Republic of Mali taking into account the decisions of the Heads of State to namely: the responsibility of the Vice-President of the Transition, in charge of Security and Defence, the withdrawal of the provisions allowing him to replace the President of the Transition and the duration of the Transition set at 18 months".

communiqué

1. In accordance with the provisions of the Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance of 2001, the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government took important decisions at the Extraordinary Summits of 20 and 28 August 2020 following the military coup of 18 August in Mali. President of the Republic democratically elected in 2018, His Excellency Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita, as well as members of the Malian government and other officials. In accordance with the provisions of the Community protocols, sanctions have been imposed on Mali.
2. The Heads of State and Government noted that this coup d'état took place in a context of a socio-political crisis triggered after the legislative elections of March-April 2020. This crisis has taken the form of demonstrations, sometimes violent, organized by certain political actors, members of religious associations and civil society organizations.
3. The Heads of State and Government demanded the immediate release of H.E.M. Ibrahim Boubacar Kéita and wished him a speedy recovery after his exit from the country.
4. The Heads of State and Government held a mini-Summit in Accra on 15 September 2020 and on this occasion they met with the military leaders of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). This meeting aimed to finalize the outline of the Political Transition, in accordance with the decisions taken by the ECOWAS Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its Extraordinary Summit by videoconference on 28 August.

2020 and by its 57th Ordinary Summit held on 7 September 2020, in Niamey, Republic of Nigerc

5. At this Accra Summit, the Heads of State and Government reaffirmed the following decisions:
   1. The Political Transition will be civil in accordance with the decisions of the Conference. Thus the President and the Prime Minister of the Transition will be civilians throughout the period;
   2. The Vice-President of the Transition, provided for in the Charter, may not under any circumstances replace the President;
   3. The CNSP will be dissolved immediately after the establishment of the

Civil transition,

1. The Political Transition will last 18 months from 15 September 2020;
2. After the establishment of the Civil Transition, ECOWAS will support Mali for the return of constitutional order in accordance with its Protocols,
3. Sanctions will be lifted after the appointment of the Transitional President and Prime Minister.

6. The Heads of State and Government took note of the appointment and investiture of Mr. Bah N'DAW as Civilian President of the Transition. They congratulate him and express ECOWAS' support for the success of his mission.
7. The Heads of State and Government also took note of the appointment of Mr. Moctar OUANE, a civilian, as Prime Minister of the Transition.
8. The appointment of the President and Prime Minister of the Transition should lead to the formation of the Government;
9. In addition, the Charter of the Transition published in the Official Journal of the Republic of Mali and which takes into account other decisions of the Heads of State and Government was received at ECOWAS on 1  October 2020. These are:

the responsibilities of the Vice-President of the Transition, in charge of Security and Defence,

the withdrawal of the provisions allowing the Vice-President to replace the President of the Transition;

The duration of the transition set at 18 months.

10. Taking into account these significant steps towards constitutional normalization and to support this process, the Heads of State and Government decide to lift the sanctions on Mali. They call on all bilateral and multilateral partners to support Mali.

1 1 . The Heads of State and Government call on the new transitional authorities to swiftly implement the other decisions of the Summit, in particular the release of all military and civilian officials arrested since 18 August 2020 and the dissolution of the CNSP.

12. The Heads of State and Government congratulate the Mediator on the progress made in political normalization in Mali.

Done at Accra on 5 October 2020

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

President of the Republic of Ghana Chairman of the ECOWAS Assembly of Heads of State and Government