In its latest move to reconcile with the Sahel trio, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lifted some sanctions it imposed on Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after an extraordinary summit in Abuja on Saturday, February 24.
The regional bloc also appealed to the three countries under military regimes to reconsider the withdrawal of their memberships and engage in dialogue instead.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission Omar Touray, said the decision was based on humanitarian considerations, the socio-economic impacts of the sanctions, and the security of the sub-region.
Below are the economic sanctions lifted as announced by Touray:
1. ECOWAS lifted the travel ban on members of the military junta and their families.
2. It lifted the freezing of all financial transactions between ECOWAS states and Niger, including transactions relating to the bloc’s central bank and the unfreezing of all of Niger’s assets at EBID.
3. It also suspended the travel ban on members of the military junta and their families.
4. It suspended sanctions on the election of Mali citizens to ECOWAS positions.
5. It lifted sanctions on Guinea, inviting all four countries to attend technical consultative meetings of ECOWAS going forward.
*Demands To Meet*
Despite lifting the sanctions, the regional bloc presented some demands to the embattled countries.
In the Niger Republic, ECOWAS calls for the immediate release of the ousted President Mohammed Bazoum. It also calls on the transition authorities in the country to provide “an acceptable transition timetable to constitutional order.”
ECOWAS has instructed the President of the Commission to invite Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Guinea to attend the technical, consultative, and security meetings of ECOWAS, and to implement the decisions of the Authority.
The lifting of the sanctions on Niger comes amid a deepening rift between ECOWAS and the three Sahelian countries that have announced their withdrawal from the regional bloc, citing its interference in their internal affairs and its alignment with foreign powers.
Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have also accused ECOWAS of “betraying its founding principles and failing to support them in their fight against terrorism.”
The announcement to leave ECOWAS “without delay”, violated the provisions of the 1993 revised treaty that require a one-year notice period for withdrawal.
Touray urged the three countries to reconsider their decision, given the benefits that the ECOWAS member states and their citizens enjoy in the community.
“The Authority expressed its concern over the socio-economic, political, security and humanitarian impacts of the decision, particularly on the citizens of the three countries and on the regional integration process,” he noted
*What Is Next For ECOWAS?*
The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali from ECOWAS poses a serious challenge for the regional bloc, which has been hailed as one of the most successful and influential regional organisations in Africa.
Established in 1975 to promote economic integration and cooperation among its 15 member states, ECOWAS has played a key role in maintaining peace and stability in the region, through its interventions in conflicts and crises, such as in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia.
However, the bloc has also faced criticism for its inconsistency and double standards in dealing with democratic governance and human rights issues, as well as its dependence on external partners, especially France, for its funding and military support.
The departure of the three Sahelian countries, which account for about a quarter of the ECOWAS population and territory, could weaken the bloc’s economic and security clout, and undermine its credibility and legitimacy.
It could also have negative consequences for the trade and movement of goods and people within the region, as well as for the coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism and other transnational threats.
Some analysts have suggested that the withdrawal of the three countries could pave the way for the creation of a new regional bloc, comprising the Sahelian countries and possibly other neighbouring countries, such as Chad, Sudan and Libya, that share similar security and development challenges.
Whatever the outcome, the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali from ECOWAS signals fresh trouble for the Sahel region, which is already facing multiple crises and uncertainties.
It also calls for a rethink of the regional integration and cooperation agenda in West Africa, and a renewed commitment to the principles and values that underpin the ECOWAS vision of a peaceful, prosperous and people-centred community.
