ECOWAS criticizes lack of progress with junta states in West Africa

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) declared that it would put up “more vigorous” efforts to reconcile with the junta-led breakaway countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, expressing disappointment at the lack of progress in previous attempts.

At the opening of a conference on Sunday in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, ECOWAS commission president Oumar Touray warned that following the three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) signings of a confederation treaty, the area faces disintegration and growing insecurity.

The aforementioned contract emphasized the juntas’ intention to leave the nearly half-century-old ECOWAS, following their decision to cut diplomatic and military connections with Western nations in favor of closer ties with Russia.

“The Authority expresses disappointment with the lack of progress in engagements with the authorities of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and instructs the President of the Commission to facilitate a more vigorous approach,” ECOWAS stated in a communique issued on Monday.

However, with regard to all potential outcomes in connection with the AES, ECOWAS will “develop a forward-looking contingency plan”.

In a string of military takeovers that occurred between 2020 and 2023, juntas took control of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.

Uncertainty surrounds how tightly the AES will align political, economic, and defense strategies while it fights to contain a ten-year conflict with Islamist militants and develop among of the world’s poorest nations.

Their departure might make things weaker. The bloc’s provision of freedom of movement and access to a 400 million-person common market was deemed threatened, according to ECOWAS and Touray.

In addition to appointing Senegalese and Togolese leaders to engage with the juntas in an effort to reintegrate them into the bloc, ECOWAS re-elected Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as its chairman for an additional year.

The chiefs of ECOWAS decided to mobilize a 5,000-strong regional counterterrorism standby force. The force would be built up gradually, with a 1,650-man brigade at launch.

In addition to approaching the African Union for financial support, member nations are expected to fund the force.