ACCRA, September 16 Reuters - West Africa's main regional bloc imposed sanctions on Thursday against the junta in Guinea and demanded they return the country to constitutional rule within six months, said the president of the bloc's commission.
After an emergency summit of the Economic Community of West African StatesWest African States ECOWAS in Accra, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said they would freeze the financial assets and impose travel bans for junta members and their relatives.
In six months elections should be held, Brou said at a briefing, calling for the immediate release of President Alpha Conde, who was ousted by military coup last week.
Regional leaders who participated in the summit hailed the tough measures agreed by the bloc to the West and Central Africa third coup in April. The political turmoil has intensified concerns about a backslide towards military rule in a resource-rich but poverty-stricken region.
Coup leaders in Guinea have not said how long the transitional government will last or who will lead it.
The junta led by Mamady Doumbouya, a former member of the French Foreign Legion, is holding consultations with various public figures, groups and business leaders in the country this week to map a framework for the transition.
As part of the four-day consultation, the junta met with Guinea's main business lobby and executives of mining firms operating in its bauxite, gold, iron ore and diamond sectors on Thursday.
Among the attendees on the talks in Conakry was the general manager of the top Bauxite producer Soci t Mini re de Bok SMB Frederic Bouzigues, held in Guinea.
Messages have been discussed, and we indicated our engagement and willingness to reassure all our investors in order to continue our work, address the challenges faced by him, he said, without sharing details about what was discussed with the junta.
SMB is owned by a consortium that includes Shanghai shipping company Winning International Group, Shandong Weiqiao - a subsidiary of the world's top private sector aluminium producer China Hongqiao 1378.