General News of Thursday, 16 September 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2021-09-16
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
• ECOWAS Heads of State to meet in Accra today
• They will be deciding how to respond to the Guinean coup
• Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey made this known to journalists
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has indicated Guinea and Mali will not be participating in today’s Extraordinary ECOWAS summit in Accra.
According to her, the two West African countries have been suspended from the 15-member body following recent coups.
Addressing the media in Accra ahead of the ECOWAS summit, Ayorkor Botchwey said:
“Guinea will not be at the table tomorrow (Thursday). 13 countries have been invited; Guinea and Mali are on suspension and therefore, they will not be part of the meeting. Guinea especially because we are going to be discussing them so they cannot be there.
“In any case, they are not part of ECOWAS at the moment and therefore cannot be there.”
West African leaders will meet today under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo meet to decide how to respond to the coup in Guinea and also mount pressure on the junta leaders to return the country to constitutional rule.
The 15-member ECOWAS has condemned the putsch that overthrew President Prof Alpha Condé on 5 September.
The coup in Guinea is third in the West and Central Africa since April.
The bloc suspended Guinea from the decision-making bodies of the organisation last week and sent a mission to meet the coup leaders.