ECOWAS from West Africa Condemns Junta States for Lack of Progress

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed disappointment with the lack of progress in reconciling with the breakaway junta-led Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and will make “more vigorous” reconciliation efforts.

The region risks disintegeration and worsening insecurity after the three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) signed a confederation treaty, which underscored the juntas’ determination to exit the near 50-year ECOWAS after severing military and diplomatic ties with Western powers and seeking greater ties with Russia.

ECOWAS will develop a forward-looking contingency plan regarding all eventualities in relations with the AES. The AES faces challenges in harmonising political, economic, and defense policies as it struggles to contain a decade-old battle with Islamist insurgents and grow economies among the world’s poorest.

The departure of the juntas could weaken ECOWAS, and Touray warned that the freedom of movement and a common market of 400 million people offered by the bloc were under threat. ECOWAS has re-elected Nigerian President Bola Tinubu chairman for another year and tasked Senegalese and Togolese leaders to negotiate with the juntas to try to bring them back into the bloc.