The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had lifted sanctions against Mali, Adama Bictogo, Ivory Coast Minister of African Integration said on Saturday, one day after Mali's junta agreed on power handover.

Bictogo made the remarks in a statement at the Bamako airport after the arrival of Dioncounda Traore, head of the National Assembly, who returned to the crisis-battered Mali after fleeing the nation due to the March 22 coup by disgruntled soldiers, to assume power.

The decision came one day after Mali's junta, which overthrew President Amadou Toumani Toure in the coup, on Friday signed a framework agreement with the ECOWAS that the group would hand over power to the president of the National Assembly during the transitional period, in return for the lifting of sanctions imposed by ECOWAS and an amnesty of its members from prosecution.

ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Mali on Monday, including closing borders and freezing the country's access to the regional central bank, to press for the restoration of constitutional order in the west African nation.

Under the deal signed by the junta's leader Captain Amadou Sanogo and the ECOWAS, Dioncounda Traore would be in a mission to organize democratic elections, and the transitional government would have to manage the crisis in the north of the country urgently.

According to Article 36 of the Constitution adopted on Feb. 25, 1992, the head of the assembly becomes interim president for a transitional period until new elections are held in the event that the president of the republic is unable to carry out his functions.