West African leaders meet, with coup-hit neighbors on agenda

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE
Associated Press

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — West African leaders are attending as their regional bloc pursues its efforts to resolve the political impasse in the coup-hit nations of Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. A summit last month of the Economic Community of West African States put off imposing further economic and financial sanctions on the three nations. They were suspended from the bloc following military coups and are under international pressure to hold democratic elections. Malian authorities recently announced a transition roadmap that includes scheduling a presidential election for February 2024 and a March 2023 constitutional referendum. It remains to be seen if participants at Sunday’s summit in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. will accept the proposal.