Newsdeck

Newsdeck

African Union Suspends Mali, Threatens Sanctions Over Coup

Interim Mali president Colonel Assimi Goïta. (Photo: Nipah Dennis / AFP / Getty Images)

(Bloomberg) --The African Union suspended Mali after the second coup in nine months and threatened to impose sanctions if there are any further delays to the nation’s return to democratic rule.

By Katarina Hoije
Jun 2, 2021, 10:55 AM
Word Count: 198

The continental body suspended Mali from participation in all activities of the African Union, its organs and institutions until constitutional order has been restored, its Peace and Security Council said in a statement late Tuesday.

If the military delays handing back power to civilian transitional leaders, “the council will not hesitate to impose targeted sanctions and other punitive measures,” it said.

Any financial sanctions risk restricting gold exports, which make up about two-thirds of Mali’s export revenue, and could further destabilize the West African country, which is seen as linchpin in an international fight against Islamist insurgents in West Africa’s Sahel region.

The U.S. last month suspended all military cooperation with Mali after Colonel Assimi Goita ordered the arrest of interim President Bah N’Daw and interim Prime Minister Moctar Ouane. N’Daw and Ouane were forced to resign while in military detention and Goita was named interim President.

The AU suspension comes after West African leaders suspended Mali from the Economic Community of West African States on May 30.

© 2021 Bloomberg L.P.

Gallery

Comments - Please in order to comment.

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Become a Maverick Insider

This could have been a paywall

On another site this would have been a paywall. Maverick Insider keeps our content free for all.

Become an Insider

Every seed of hope will one day sprout.

South African citizens throughout the country are standing up for our human rights. Stay informed, connected and inspired by our weekly FREE Maverick Citizen newsletter.