ECOWAS suspends Guinea, after military coup
West Africa’s regional bloc, today has suspended Guinea’s membership, following military take over that removed President Alpha Conde.
During an extraordinary virtual summit on Wednesday, leaders from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded a return to the constitutional order and the immediate release of Conde, who was arrested by special forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya on Sunday.
ECOWAS “has decided to suspend Guinea from all of its decision-making bodies,” Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said after the leaders from the 15-member bloc discussed the crisis in a video summit.
Barry said the bloc called on the coup leaders to release detained President Alpha Conde.
The bloc urged Guinea “to put in place a process that will allow a rapid return to normal constitutional order.”
ECOWAS is expected to send a mediation mission to Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on Thursday.
The United Nations and African Union have also condemned the military coup.