A security analyst, Adib Saani, has expressed relief at the fact that his thoughts on decisions made by the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against certain conflict-prone countries have been justified.
He explained that the recent decision by the ECOWAS to place sanctions on Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso following the coups that took place in those countries, and the after-effects experienced there, made his points justified.
Speaking to GhanaWeb, Adib Saani explained that such sanctions, as he has always maintained, only amount to blanket bullets.
“I have in the past indicated that ECOWAS sanctions only amount to blanket bullets with no effect.
“ECOWAS should shun their arrogant posture and diplomatically engage the military junta on the way forward rather than firing blank bullets in the name of sanctions to cow the military into submission. This posture amounts to nothing and has proven to be counterproductive,” he said.
Adib Saani further explained that such sanctions on countries bedevilled by coups don’t better the situations there, but rather worsen them.
“Today, I have been vindicated. I have always been critical of ECOWAS for imposing sanctions on Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso for the coups.
“Sanctions don’t solve, they exacerbate. Sanctions reduce state capacity to address simple bread and butter issues, which invariably become detrimental to the security of the state and the wider West African subregion,” he added.
The security analyst also explained that the approaches adopted by ECOWAS have been proven to be ineffective and should be relooked at.
“ECOWAS’ unrealistic demands and timelines haven’t also helped. Elections don’t just happen, they should happen when democratic institutions are well-grounded.
“Besides, sanctions don’t just affect the sanctioned but the sanctioner as well,” he said.
ghanaweb.com