ECOWAS: the regional organization's plea to convince Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to stay
The heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met for an exceptional summit in Abjua on February 24, 2024. They notably decided to lift all the economic sanctions that had hit Niger since the military coup of July 26, 2023, and this even before having obtained the release of deposed president Mohamed Bazoum, while a standoff had ensued around his case.
ECOWAS leaders also discussed the departure of Burkina, Mali and Niger, announced on January 28.
In its final press release, ECOWAS mixes appeasement gestures and financial arguments to ask them, again and again, to stay.
The President of Nigeria and Chairman of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Bola Tinubu, delivering the opening address at the extraordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and of government on the political, peace and security situation in the ECOWAS sub-region, in Abuja, Nigeria, February 24, 2024. REUTERS - STRINGER
By: David Baché
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The deaf dialogue continues.
A month after their resounding announcement, the Economic Community of West African States (
ECOWAS
) once again “
urged
” Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso “
to reconsider their decision
”.
ECOWAS even plans to engage in discussions with the African Union (AU), the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), the United Nations and other international or bilateral partners to “
convince the three member states to stay
” .
ECOWAS always recalls the departure modalities provided for by its revised Treaty, including a deadline of one year.
Three weeks ago, the three countries had already reiterated "
the irreversible nature
" of their decision and put forward legal arguments proving, in their eyes, the obsoleteness of the official texts: departure "
without delay
", that's all. .
Lifting sanctions and financial advocacy
To continue to plead for maintenance, ECOWAS put an end to the sanctions hitting Niger on Saturday.
This is the most notable gesture.
She also agreed to lift restrictions imposed on the recruitment of Malians for positions within community institutions.
A less strong gesture but, more than ever, it is the intention that counts here.
On the portfolio and development side, the ECOWAS final press release also details all the current funding and programs of which the three Sahelian countries should be deprived in the event of withdrawal: $230 million for the Regional Support Program for the Resilience of Food Systems , $215 million for the Regional Support Program for Pastoralism in the Sahel, more than $100 million for the Regional Support Project for the Sahel Irrigation Initiative...
Read also ECOWAS: the President of the Commission announces the lifting of most sanctions against Niger
ECOWAS also recalls that 100 million dollars have already been given to fight terrorism and that other funding had been allocated.
Each time, ECOWAS takes care to specify that the amounts indicated relate specifically to the three countries.
Freedom of movement
Another message, addressed more directly to Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabè citizens: all will “
stop using
” the passport, the biometric national identity card and the
ECOWAS “
brown card ” automobile insurance, which will “
automatically affect
” their “
immigration
” status, with implications in terms of visa requirements, right of residence and starting a business.
No mention of the safety net represented on this subject by the UEMOA area, of which the three Sahelian countries are still members.
As a reminder, UEMOA only has 8 countries out of the 15 ECOWAS, but has the same circulation facilities within it.
The heads of state of UEMOA also met last Saturday in Abuja, during a summit parallel to that of ECOWAS.
From an internal source, the subject has been discussed but the monetary organization has not yet published its final press release and has so far never reacted to the announcement of the withdrawal of the three Sahelian countries from ECOWAS.
ECOWAS finally cites the 47 projects carried out by the ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank (EBID) and the West African Development Bank of WAEMU (BOAD), costing more than 300 million dollars.
Will this plea be enough to convince the leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina to stay in ECOWAS?
Is the West African community above all trying to alert public opinion in these three countries to the risks such a withdrawal entails?
None of the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has in any case reacted at this stage.
Read also ECOWAS also lifted sanctions against Guinea
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