Abuja, Nigeria – July 8 – West Africa’s Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) grapples with a potential fracture as member states Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, now under military juntas, announced their exit from the bloc. The three nations, forming a new alliance called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), signed a confederation treaty, raising concerns about regional security and economic cooperation.
ECOWAS President Oumar Touray expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in reconciliation efforts with the breakaway states. He warned of “disintegration and worsening insecurity” in the region, particularly due to the AES’s alignment with Russia and severing ties with Western powers.
The summit communique released on Monday highlights ECOWAS’s commitment to a “more vigorous approach” towards reconciliation. However, the bloc acknowledged the need for a “forward-looking contingency plan” in case engagement fails.
The departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which came to power through coups between 2020-2023, is a significant blow to ECOWAS. The bloc, established nearly 50 years ago, facilitates the free movement of people and fosters a common market for over 400 million citizens. Touray warned that these freedoms, along with economic growth, could be jeopardized.
Despite the setback, ECOWAS re-elected Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as chairman and tasked leaders from Senegal and Togo to negotiate with the juntas for their return.
In a separate move, the summit approved the mobilization of a 5,000-strong regional counter-terrorism force. This force, initially deploying with a 1,650-man brigade, will be incrementally expanded. Member states will finance the force, potentially seeking additional support from the African Union.
