Highlights: On Sunday, the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso) announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Since then, discussions and initiatives at the top of the organization and the States of the sub-region have multiplied to address the situation and find a solution. A meeting of heads of state from the regional institution is being organized to discuss current events. The dominant idea is to obtain the return within the institution of the countries which have announced their withdraw.

ECOWAS: negotiations multiply after the announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina and Niger

On Sunday, the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso) announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Since then, discussions and initiatives at the top of the organization and the States of the sub-region have multiplied to address the situation and find a solution.

The empty seats of Mali and Niger during an ECOWAS meeting in Accra, August 17, 2023. © Gérard Nartey / AFP

By: RFI Follow

With our regional correspondent,

Serge Daniel

Among the most called heads of state, the Ivorian Alassane Ouattara who is completing a stay abroad. But Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, current president of ECOWAS, also spoke on the telephone with the President of Ghana, as well as with his Gambian and Liberian counterparts.

A meeting of heads of state from the regional institution is being organized to discuss current events. Among the hypotheses, a possible extraordinary summit in Abuja, Nigeria (“

Why not this weekend?

” asks one of our interlocutors). Another hypothesis: a meeting on the sidelines of the next African Union summit in Addis Ababa of ECOWAS heads of state.

Read alsoBurkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdraw from ECOWAS

The case of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso is becoming a stone in the shoe of ECOWAS, recognizes a diplomat from the presidency of the Commission. He continues: “

hence the need to wear gloves

”. The dominant idea is to obtain the return within the institution of the countries which have announced their withdrawal.

In future discussions, Togo is in a good position to play mediator. President Faure Gnassingbé has his entries in Bamako, Niamey and Ouagadougou. The Malian, Burkinabe and Nigerien putschists rather appreciate his posture in the crisis and for the past 48 hours,

Togolese emissaries have been crisscrossing these three

Sahel countries.

Read alsoCédéao: the departure of Mali, Niger and Burkina comes after months of tension

ECOWAS: negotiations multiply after the announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina and Niger

ECOWAS: negotiations multiply after the announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina and Niger

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