EU sanctions five Mali coup leaders over continued election delays News
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EU sanctions five Mali coup leaders over continued election delays

The EU sanctioned five Malian Transition Government members Friday accused of obstructing and undermining political transition in the country after they broke an agreement to hold presidential elections in February, postponing it to December 2025. The revised schedule extended the transition period to five-and-a-half years.

The sanctions impose three crucial restrictive measures on each of the five individuals. First, they include a travel ban preventing them from traveling through EU territories. Second, the sanctions subject the individuals to an asset freeze. Finally, the sanctions prohibit EU companies and citizens from directly or indirectly providing funds to the individuals.

Assimi Goïta headed a military coup d’état in May 2021 against former Mali president Bah Ndaw, prompting Ndaw to resign. The Mali Constitutional Court then declared Goïta the new interim president of Mali. Members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a trading bloc composed of 15 West African nations, subsequently condemned the coup and sanctioned coup leaders.

The European Council and the UN Security Council (UNSC) also condemned the coup. The UNSC further encouraged Malian leaders “to facilitate a full political transition and handover of power to elected civilian authorities” and “to hold free and fair presidential and legislative elections.” In January, ECOWAS again announced economic sanctions on Mali, due to an “unacceptable” delay in holding elections.

In a press release, the EU shared that it “continues to stand with the people of the Sahel and reaffirms its full commitment to strict compliance with the rule of law, human rights and international humanitarian law in Mali.”