ANALYSIS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE 2022 ECOWAS ECONOMIC SANCTIONS: A Review of Mali’s Public Debt and Macroeconomic Stability[ANALYSE DES CONSEQUENCES DES SANCTIONS ÉCONOMIQUES DE LA CEDEAO EN 2022 : Examens de l'endettement et de la stabilité macroéconomique du Mali]

This article assesses the impact of the 2022 ECOWAS economic sanctions on Mali's macroeconomic stability and public debt between 2016 and 2023. Using a rigorous analytical methodology and diverse sources, including the 2024 Finance Law, we examine the consequences of these sanctions on the Malian economy. Our findings show a significant increase in public debt, rising from 35.9% of GDP in 2016 to 52.0% in 2021, driven in large part by domestic borrowing. The sanctions prevented Mali from meeting the convergence criteria of both WAEMU and ECOWAS, highlighting the need to reassess regional crisis management strategies. We offer policy recommendations to strengthen Mali's economic resilience and reduce the adverse effects of future sanctions. This study underscores the importance of rethinking the effectiveness of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy and stresses the urgency of promoting investment to improve macroeconomic stability. The findings provide critical insights for policymakers and economic stakeholders in the West African region.