The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Tuesday lifted the sanctions imposed on Mali in the wake of an August 18, 2020, military coup, citing Mali’s “notable advances towards constitutional normalisation” as the reason for the relaxation of the sanctions. The regional bloc said, in a statement, that The lifting of the sanctions comes two days after the West African nation’s new government named veteran politician Moctar Ouane, a civilian and former foreign minister, as prime minister. ECOWAS had made it clear they would only consider lifting sanctions if a civilian was given the post of prime minister.