Former Beninese president Thomas Boni Yayi has returned to Guinea for the third time to negotiate a way out of a deadlock with the West African regional grouping over the duration of returning the country back to constitutional rule
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Dialogue had never been broken between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Guinean transitional authorities since they took power in September 2021.
On Tuesday October 18, Thomas Boni Yayi, mediator of the sub-regional grouping arrived in Conakry where he will hold further talks with the junta and participate in Ecowas’ special mission with experts from its technical departments in Guinea the bloc said.
Boni’s sojourn is picking up from where he had left off in his consultations with the junta with a view to finding a consensus over the duration of the transition as recommended by Ecowas regional leaders at a summit in New York in September.
During the summit on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly, West African leaders decided in view of what they saw as insufficient progress made in establishing an acceptable transition timetable to “impose gradual diplomatic, economic and financial sanctions” against Guinea.
To this end, ambassadors from Ecowas countries accredited to the country were recalled for consultation.
Similarly, the bloc suspended “all assistance and financial transactions with the country.
Sanctions also targeted “individuals and groups of individuals, including members of the transitional institutions and any other person seeking to prevent the return to constitutional order in Guinea within a reasonable timeframe.”
West African leaders also called on the transitional authorities “to accept within one month from September 22 a reasonable transition period acceptable to Ecowas or face more severe sanctions.”
Boni on his third visit to Guinea since he was appointed mediator, said “there is still hope” but the start to inclusive dialogue for a peaceful transition planned for Thursday 20 October has been postponed to a later date.
On September 5, 2021, Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, deposed civilian leader Alpha Conde who had, three years earlier, chosen him to lead the Guinean special forces.
Following the coup, the former French legionnaire set the duration of the transition at 39 months, reduced to 36 by the National Transition Council (CNT).
However, the West African regional grouping had given the military six months to return to the country to constitutional rule.
In an interview with RFI, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the current chair of Ecowas said that an agreement had been reached with the transition authorities for a transition timetable lasting 24 months.
However this was denied by Conakry, which at the same time denounced Embaló’s threats of sanctions.
Ecowas will meet in December to discuss the political situation in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.
AC/te/lb/as/APA