Nigeria’s former president Goodluck Jonathan who is a mediator in the Mali crisis for the West Africa bloc ECOWAS, has disclosed that the organisation would probably decide on Friday whether it would lift economic sanctions against the country.

Speaking in Mali’s capital Bamako yesterday, Jonathan described the measures imposed on the country by the 15-nation bloc as “unfortunate.”

West African leaders mounted pressure on Mali’s ruling junta to return power to civilians after an August 18 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

A junta-appointed committee this week named retired colonel Bah Ndaw as a provisional president, who is set to govern for a maximum of 18 months before arranging elections.

The 70-year-old former defence minister will be sworn in today, alongside junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, who will serve as interim vice president.

Jonathan on Wednesday said that ECOWAS was “eager” to make a decision on the sanctions, which threaten to cripple the poor Sahel state’s economy as he told reporters that “ECOWAS doesn’t want any sanctions in any part of the community,” adding that it is up to Ghanaian President and current ECOWAS leader Nana Akufo-Addo to announce the decision, however.

“I believe that on Friday after the inauguration, probably he will make that pronouncement,” Jonathan said.