A West African monetary union has agreed to lift its suspension of Mali, imposed in January 2022 over the ruling junta’s timeline for returning to civilian rule, it said in a statement. The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) came to the decision during an extraordinary session held in Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, it said in the communique received Sunday by AFP. “With regard to Mali, the Conference decided to lift its suspension from the UEMOA bodies and institutions on 09 January 2022”, it said, without elaborating. ECOWAS lifted sanctions in July 2022, accepting a planned March 2024 return to civilian rule. Mali last month held a referendum on constitutional changes, marking a key step in the military’s plans to restore civilian rule.

Source: The Guardian July 09, 2023 16:49 UTC