The ECOWAS Court of Justice will on Friday begin hearing of the suit instituted by two groups challenging the legality of the sanctions imposed on Mali following the military coup against President Ibrahim BOUBACAR KEITA.

A statement by the media unit of the ECOWAS Court stated that the suit was instituted by the two groups on September 9, 2020, against the ECOWAS Commission and Ivory Coast, one of the countries implementing the sanctions via closure of borders against Mali.

The plaintiffs prayed the court in the applications to issue orders suspending the sanctions which were announced by the ECOWAS Commission and for the accelerated hearing of the substantive suit challenging the sanctions.