The Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) has suspended Mali from the regional group and has called for an immediate nomination of a new Prime Minister as part of an inclusive government to proceed with the September 2020 transition programme. In a statement issued in Accra on Sunday, May 30, 2021, the Heads of State of ECOWAS reaffirmed the need to respect the transition period of 18 months as agreed by all parties last year. On May 24, 2021, Mali’s President and Prime Minister were ousted in a coup plot by Colonel Assimi, Vice President of the interim government formed as part of a transition programme to usher Mali back to civilian rule. Their arrest came hours after a government reshuffle that saw two senior Army officers replaced.