The West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) has condemned the recent coup d’état in Mali that led to the resignation of the elected president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, and the dissolution of government and parliament. The forum in a press statement called for a return to democratic governance by civilians and urged ECOWAS to connect with citizens and ensure respect for the rules of good governance and democracy. Condemning the coup, WACSOF said they are also concerned about the potential risk of suffering the ECOWAS embargo could have on the Malian people hence condemns any military coup in Africa, and particularly in the ECOWAS region.
WACSOF is the umbrella civil society organisation in West Africa that serves as the institutionalised channel of dialogue between civil society organisations and ECOWAS with a national platform in each ECOWAS country. In the press statement, WACSOF highlighted the provisions of Article 1(e) of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which says: “The armed forces must be apolitical and must be under the command of a legally constituted political authority; no serving member of the armed forces may seek to run for elective political (office).”
The civil society group called for fast return to civilian and democratic governance in Mali to guarantee power for the people and by the people, in strict compliance with the Malian Constitution and all applicable laws. The General Secretary for WACSOF, Komlan Messie, said they are seeking to remind ECOWAS member states of the absolute need to abide by the democratic laws and regulations on good governance to which they are bound.
“The ECOWAS protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the African Charter of Democracy, Election and Good Governance (ACDEG) should be respected without any compromise,” he said. “WACSOF is calling on the ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS to install a genuine culture of democracy and good governance within ECOWAS member states and to also put to an end the trend of the abuse of power, shrinking civic space, corruption, and the propensity to manipulate constitutions in search of more than two terms.”
The General Secretary called on the ECOWAS Commission and the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to endeavour to be better connected to citizens and to actively involve citizens and civil society in decision making and in dispute resolution processes. WACSOF pleaded with all parties involved to promote the effectiveness of an ECOWAS of Peoples and not only of states, as expressed in the ECOWAS Vision 2020.
The civil society group called on all stakeholders in the crisis to ensure peace in the Republic of Mali through the peaceful resolution of disputes via mediation, conciliation and facilitation based on dialogue, negotiation, or arbitration.
By Mohamed Kabba