ECOWAS warned it will impose targeted sanctions on anyone blocking Guinea-Bissau's return to civilian rule after last month's coup as regional leaders met in Abuja. The summit focused on the Guinea-Bissau takeover, a failed coup in Benin and mounting insecurity in the Sahel, where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have formed the Alliance of Sahel States. Leaders called for engagement on shared security threats while expressing concern about democratic backsliding across West Africa.
ECOWAS Threatens Targeted Sanctions Over Guinea-Bissau Coup as Leaders Meet in Abuja
ECOWAS states met in Nigeria (Light Oriye Tamunotonye)(Light Oriye Tamunotonye/AFP/AFP)
West Africa's regional bloc, ECOWAS, warned on Sunday it would impose targeted sanctions on anyone who obstructs Guinea-Bissau's return to civilian rule following last month's military takeover. The announcement came as regional presidents gathered in Abuja for their biannual summit, where the agenda was dominated by the recent successful coup in Guinea-Bissau and a failed putsch in Benin.
ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray told reporters at the close of the summit:
"The authorities shall impose targeted sanctions on individuals or groups of persons that obstruct the transition process."
The twin disruptions — the takeover in Guinea-Bissau and the recent attempted coup in Benin — have unsettled the bloc. ECOWAS leaders also reflected on a string of coups between 2020 and 2023 in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, all of which remain under junta control.
Sahel Security and Regional Dialogue
Security in the Sahel was a top priority at the summit. Jihadist insurgencies continue to afflict Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and under military rule those three countries left ECOWAS and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). ECOWAS chief Touray has urged engagement with the AES to address shared security concerns as violence spreads southwards.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, who currently chairs ECOWAS on a rotating basis, stressed the need for regional cooperation: "No border can insulate us from violence."
Attendance And Political Context
Leaders of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau — both suspended after military takeovers — did not attend. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu was also absent and was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima. The summit, held within the secure grounds of Aso Rock presidential villa, had been planned before the recent disruptions but the coups quickly rose to the top of the agenda.
Delegates also discussed trade liberalisation measures and an update on transition processes in the wider region. Delegates noted that democratic backsliding remains a concern: contested elections and restrictions on political competition have added to regional tensions, including criticisms of recent polls in Ivory Coast and complaints about aspects of the 2023 elections in Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
What Comes Next: ECOWAS faces a complex balancing act — pressing for a rapid return to civilian rule in Guinea-Bissau, pursuing dialogue on Sahel security with breakaway juntas, and responding to a broader pattern of democratic erosion across the region.
