ECOWAS holds extraordinary meeting on coup in Guinea

The West African sub-regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is holding an extraordinary meeting on Thursday on the military coup that dethroned a democratic government in Guinea. The meeting would be reviewing the developments in Guinea after the military coup and decide on further measures against the military junta.

The Foreign Minister of Ghana, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, was gathered to have indicated that the extraordinary meeting of the West African sub-regional body would evaluate the findings of an ECOWAS delegation to Guinea, then deliberate on the approach to restore democracy in the country. ECOWAS had earlier suspended Guinea from the governing body since the military usurpation of power. The suspension has been supported by the continental body, African Union (AU), which also suspended Guinea from the AU.

The coup was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a special forces commander, who overthrew President Alpha Conde of Guinea, 83 years old. The AU declared the military usurpation of power in Guinea a “clear violation” of the Union’s charter.

The sub-regional body had sent a 15-member ECOWAS team to Conakry to consult with the coup leader, Doumbouya, as well as the ousted president on the situation in the country and how to restore constitutional government.

ECOWAS leaders would be assessing the report of the consultative team to Guinea.