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The Digest:

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has threatened “targeted sanctions” against individuals obstructing Guinea-Bissau’s return to civilian rule following last month’s military takeover. The regional bloc’s firm stance, announced at its Abuja summit, reflects deepening alarm over a resurgence of coups in West Africa, even as it expands peacekeeping duties and seeks dialogue with breakaway junta-led states.

Key Points:
  • ECOWAS authorized sanctions on anyone impeding Guinea-Bissau’s transition process.
  • The regional force deployed in Guinea-Bissau since 2022 was mandated to protect political leaders and institutions.
  • The summit also addressed a failed coup attempt in Benin, which prompted military support from Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.
  • ECOWAS remains suspended from Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all under junta rule.
  • Bloc leaders called for negotiations with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) over shared security threats.
  • Sierra Leone’s President Julius Bio warned that “no border can insulate us from violence.”
  • The meeting was chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima in President Tinubu’s absence.
As coups and democratic erosion spread, ECOWAS faces the dual storm of enforcing stability while navigating fractures within its own ranks, a test of its cohesion and credibility in an unstable region.

Sources: Channels Television, ECOWAS