Skip to main content

Breaking! Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, Quit ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is now rocked by a major crisis as yesterday, three member-countries-Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have announced their withdrawal from the body, this comes into effect after lengthy disagreement and rejection of military rule in West Africa by ECOWAS.

However, the 49-year old ECOWAS claimed that it was yet to get notification about the withdrawal announced by governments of the three countries.

The three Sahel nations said in a joint statement on state televisions that they had made a “sovereign decision” to leave ECOWAS “without delay”.

The juntas said they have “decided in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the ECOWAS,” alleging that the bloc has “moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism” after nearly 50 years of its establishment.

The statement added: “Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.”

Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, relations between the regimes and ECOWAS have been ruptured, following the coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.

The three countries were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.

They have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.

The French military withdrawal from the Sahel – the region along the Sahara desert across Africa – has heightened concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to Gulf of Guinea states – Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.

The prime minister appointed by Niger’s military regime, Ali Zeine, Thursday blasted ECOWAS for “bad faith” after the bloc largely shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.

Following the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum, Niger had hoped for an opportunity to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS. However heavy economic and financial sanctions, was imposed on Niamey.

ECOWAS, in a statement yesterday, said it was yet to get any official or direct notification from the three countries.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Commission) has been drawn to a statement broadcast on the National Televisions of Mali and Niger announcing the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS.

"The ECOWAS Commission is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the three member states about their intention to withdraw from the community.

“The ECOWAS Commission, as directed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, has been working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain important members of the community and the authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse.

“The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall make further pronouncements as the situation evolves."

The exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has stirred reactions from international relations expects. They urged the regional body to employ persuasive diplomacy to bring them back and resolve the crisis.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Professor Isah Odidi, 16 Others Appointed As Directors By The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council

  Professor Isa Odidi and His Excellency the Waziri Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar. The Peoples Democratic Party Appoints Directors And Deputy Directors To Kick-Start Campaign.                                 Professor Isah Odidi, has been appointed as Director, Diaspora Group by the Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This appointment was contain in a Press Release on Thursday, October 06, 2022 issued by the Campaign Organisation’s Director-General and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. Professor Isah Odidi, a distinguished pharmacist, an erudite scientist,  a technocrat and tireless researcher will indeed propagate the good virtues of the great party, the PDP and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the Diaspora.  Professor Odidi, has always asserted that Atiku  Abubakar is a unifier and the best candidate to move the Nigerian nation forward, ushe...

You and Your Health - Alzheimer's breakthrough'

A study from Sweden which has found that a blood test can detect the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease, reports the BBC, while expansiating on it's report that;                   Image Credit: Scientific American   The Times says it could have "huge implications" for routinely screening the over-50s for their risk of the disease. The test - the paper reports - can detect the "proteins" which can cause Alzheimer's which build up in the brain for 10 to 15 years before symptoms start to show, and allowed researchers to assess how "likely" someone was to develop the disease. According to the Daily Express, the brand new diagnostic tool has been praised by experts as it may "ultimately bring us closer towards a cure for dementia". The Daily Telegraph takes the view the "simple and cheap method" can measure how likely people are to develop the illness up to 15 years before they show symptoms, citing research from the study.

NLC To Embark On A Strike Action If....

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), national president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, during the African Trade Union Alliance meeting in Abuja. Has issued a threat to embark on a nationwide strike without any notification if the pump price of fuel sells above the current price of N617. Media reports indicated an imminent increase in the price to N720. The NNPC Limited has not made any official announcement of a fuel price increment According to Ajaero, there were purported plans to further increase the pump price of petrol, which he expressed dismay that the development will cause additional and untold hardship on Nigerians. He said: “As we are here now, they are contemplating increasing the pump price of petroleum products, and the ministry of labour for some time now would only go to the Ministry of Justice to come up with a so-called injunction to hold the hands of Labour not to respond. But let me say this, Nigerian workers will not give any notice if we have not addressed the consequences of...