ECOWAS on Wednesday lifted all remaining sanctions on Guinea, closing a turbulent chapter that began with the country’s 2021 military coup.
The regional bloc had imposed sweeping penalties after Mamady Doumbouya seized power, ousting President Alpha Condé and jolting the mineral-rich yet struggling nation.
Sanctions were partially eased in February 2024, when ECOWAS reopened financial channels with its institutions, signalling cautious re-engagement with Conakry.
The bloc said the “successful holding” of a September constitutional referendum and December presidential election justified ending all residual measures immediately.
ECOWAS also fully reintegrated Guinea into its decision-making bodies, restoring its seat at the regional table after years of diplomatic isolation.
Doumbouya was sworn in earlier this month before tens of thousands of supporters, with several heads of state attending a ceremony heavy with symbolism.
Since the coup, authorities have tightened controls on civil liberties, banning protests and arresting or forcing political opponents into exile.
Guinea’s Supreme Court validated Doumbouya’s victory with 86.7 percent, a landslide that reshaped the country’s political landscape.
ECOWAS urged the new president to pursue social cohesion, national unity, and inclusive prosperity, as Guinea searches for stability beyond the storm.
