The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are free to exit the regional body by the end of January 2025.
The decision to this effect was reacher at the 66th Ordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State on Sunday in Abuja.
The President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, said: “The authority takes note of the notification by Bukina Faso, Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger of their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS.
“The Authority acknowledges that in accordance with the provisions of Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS treaty, the three countries will officially cease to be members of ECOWAS from 29 January, 2025.
“The Authority decides to set the period from 29 January, 2025 to 29 July 2025, as a transitional period and to keep ECOWAS doors open to the three countries during the transition period.
“In this regard, the Authority extends the mandate of President Gnassingbé of Togo and President Faye of Senegal to continue their mediation role up to the end of the transition period to bring the three member countries back to ECOWAS.
“Without prejudice for the spirit of the opening, the Authority directs the President of the Commission to launch withdrawal formalities after the deadline of 29th January, 2025, and to draw up a contingency plan covering various areas.
“The Authority directs the Council of Ministers to convene an extraordinary session during the second quarter of 2025 to consider and adopt both separation modalities and the contingency plan covering political and economic relations between ECOWAS and the Republic of Niger, the Republic of Mali and Burkina Faso”.
Persecondnews recalls that in January 2024, the three countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria announced their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS.
They accused the regional bloc of deviating from its foundational ideals and succumbing to external influences, particularly criticising the imposition of sanctions aimed at reversing their respective coups.
Several military coups had taken place in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023 with President Bola Tinubu suspending them and imposing sanctions.
On the recent Ghana’s elections, Tinubu urged West African leaders to learn from the recent peaceful presidential poll in Ghana by building support for democratic succession in their respective countries.
Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, stressed the importance of statesmanship, maturity and national unity in fostering political stability across the region.
The Nigerian leader announced at the meeting that the Federal Government had cleared the N85 billion, $54 million ECOWAS community levy.
Tinubu commended the people of Ghana and their outgoing President, Nana Akufo-Addo, for setting a high standard of democratic practice.
“I urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our country’s national unity to ensure political stability of the region so that this manner of peaceful transition becomes the culture of democracy not only in West Africa but also in the entire Africa continent.
“Despite the challenges of interrupted democratic governance in some West African countries, the region has continued to record democratic gains. Just a week ago, on December 7 2024, presidential and parliamentary elections took place in Ghana, the second-largest democracy in our region.
“One of the leading candidates who happens to be the incumbent Vice President, His Excellency, Mahamudu Bawumia, together with the leadership of the ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the Presidential election by congratulating the President-elect, His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama of National Democratic Congress (NDC), for his victory, even before the official announcement of the election results.
“This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrates political maturity and respect for the will of the people of Ghana,” Tinubu said, praising President Akufo-Addo for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to ECOWAS during his two-year term, describing him as a formidable pan-Africanist.
He also congratulated the Government and people of Senegal on their successful parliamentary elections.
The ECOWAS leader praised Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, for painstakingly leading the ECOWAS Ministerial Committee of the Reform.
He wished her a successful tenure in her new role as the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
Tinubu highlighted his achievements, including strides in regional integration, economic growth, conflict resolution, and counterterrorism efforts, adding that the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and Common External Tariff (CET) had strengthened trade and economic cooperation.
“Similarly, regional infrastructure projects such as the West African Gas Pipeline, the West Africa Power Pool, and modernising key border posts with advanced equipment and joint border operations utilising state-of-the-art technology have significantly enhanced connectivity and promoted greater regional integration.
“Furthermore, our efforts in stabilising our region through peacekeeping missions currently in the Gambia and Guinea Bissau, as well as previous operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, have demonstrated our capacity to act decisively in the face of adversity,” he also said.
On the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on the fight against terrorism, he said it has provided a comprehensive framework to combat violent extremism and enhance regional security..
Attendees included the Presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal while the Vice President of Sierra Leone, the Finance Minister of the Benin Republic, the Minister of foreign affairs of Togo, and the Ambassador of Cape Verde to Nigeria represented their countries.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, commended Nigeria for paying 100 per cent of its community levy for 2023 and substantial remittances for 2024, reflecting Nigeria’s leadership and commitment under President Tinubu.
He said: “For the first time in 19 years, Nigeria has paid 100% of its community levy from 2023. I am therefore, pleased to announce that on Friday, December 13, 2024, Nigeria paid N85 billion and $54 million, representing 100% of the 2023 levy and the 2024 levy up to July 2024.
“We all agree that this payment underscores the leadership and commitment of President Tinubu, the government and the people of Nigeria to our community. At a more personal level, it represents confidence in the management I have been privileged to lead since 2022.
“I urge other member-states to meet their financial commitments diligently.”
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