Just In: Tinubu and ECOWAS leaders meet in Abuja over Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali membership withdrawal

Nigeria’s President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and other ECOWAS leaders are currently meeting in Abuja to discuss political and economic issues concerning the sub-region.

The Economic Community of West African States is expected to suspend all sanctions imposed on Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, who are under military rule after juntas overthrew the civilian governments of all three countries.

This was as President Bola Tinubu, who serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States, hosts his counterparts at an extraordinary meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Saturday morning.

Tinubu who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State is leading talks expected to see the regional bloc relaxing sanctions on its military-ruled member states of Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.

Headquartered in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, the nearly 50-year-old bloc consists of 15 countries.

However, the military-led juntas of Burkina-Faso, Mali and Niger, in late January, announced their withdrawal over “illegal sanctions” harming their people.

They also alleged that the bloc had fallen under the influence of foreign governments whose interests, they said were far from the peoples’.

In July 2023, the regional bloc approved the “Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger. Freeze all service transactions, including energy transactions.”

It froze assets of the Republic of Niger in Aqua Central Bank and the state enterprises and parastatals in commercial banks.

It also took similar steps when Mali and Burkina-Faso fell under military rule.

Although ECOWAS’ rules mandate a withdrawing member state to issue one year’s notice, the junta declared their secession as immediate. It was the first withdrawal nearly 24 years after Mauritania pulled out in December 2000.

In January, the three countries announced their withdrawal from the West African regional economic bloc.

The junta-led nations criticised ECOWAS over the sanctions imposed on them as part of efforts to restore democratic rule.

Speaking at ECOWAS’ first summit since the withdrawal, Tinubu, who was elected chairman of the regional bloc in 2023, urged the exiting countries “not to perceive our organisation as the enemy”.

The Nigerian president also said ECOWAS must “re-examine” its “current approach to the quest for constitutional order” in the affected countries.

Tinubu said the countries’ withdrawal requests will be discussed during the extraordinary summit.

“We will deliberate on the announced withdrawal from ECOWAS by the Republics of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In the spirit of collective security and African solidarity, we realise that the stability of these nations is intricately linked to the overall peace and security of West Africa,” he said.

“As such, it is pertinent that we engage in constructive deliberations to examine the actions taken by these countries and ensure that the citizens are not denied the benefits derived from our regional integration initiatives. In our ensuing discussions, we must put the plight of people, the ordinary citizens, at the centre of our decisions.

“Democracy is nothing more than the political framework and the path to addressing the basic needs and aspirations of the people. This is why we must re-examine our current approach to the quest for constitutional order in four of our Member States. I therefore urge them to reconsider the decision of the three of them to exit their home and not to perceive our organisation as the enemy.”

On February 15, ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic announced plans to establish a confederation.

However, the ECOWAS says the trio has not formally withdrawn from the league.