ECOWAS - Follow up

 

ECOWAS' key members to discuss with Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso despite withdrawal

The withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the West African economic bloc triggered strong reactions among the group's members, with some promising to reverse the Sahel countries' decision before it's too late.

Mali and Burkina Faso sent their "formal notice" of their withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS on Monday.

Niger followed on Tuesday. 

The notes came from the military regimes in all three countries, who had announced plans to withdraw from the bloc on Sunday, accusing it of posing a threat to their sovereignty.

The trio had formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September to fight jihadist groups, which will now serve beyond the simple military framework.

The main reason for the withdrawal seems to be the heavy sanctions imposed by regional group on the three countries following the military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments.

ECOWAS officially replied in a statement that it was awaiting "formal and direct notification" from the countries, while, under the bloc's statutes, withdrawal can't take effect for at least a year after official notification.

But most members are already trying to undo the withdrawal.    

Strong reactions

The news is leading to a seismic shift for the economies of West Africa.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger were founding members of ECOWAS back in 1975, among 15 countries including Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, as well as Africa's giant Nigeria, the most populated nation on the continent, which hosts the bloc's headquarter and currently presides it.

Regional powerhouse Nigeria issued a statement late Monday expressing sadness over the three countries' departure from the bloc.

"Unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade and freedom to choose their own leaders," a foreign ministry statement read.

The government in Abuja said it however remained "open for engagement" with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

It also appealed to the international community to continue to extend its support for ECOWAS and its vision of closer regional partnership, cooperation and integration.

Mediation mission

Sierra Leone has also reacted strongly.

Timothy Kabba, its Foreign Affairs minister, is part of the ECOWAS mediation mission in Niger.

He told RFI that the withdrawal risks destabilising the whole region.

"These three countries had hinted last year that they were going to form the Alliance of Sahel States," he said. "But ECOWAS has to ensure that these important members of our community do not withdraw and leave the community.

He thinks this decision is a threat to the peace, security and stability of the entire community.

"These three countries are facing not only their political instability, but also terrorist groups like the al-Qaeda movement and Daesh," Kabba added, "therefore it is a bit worrying if these countries go it alone."

Togo sent as early as Monday its Territorial Administration minister Hodabalo Awaté to Niamey, to meet Niger's transitional authorities.

He hasn't communicated on the outcome yet.

Challenges for all sides

The three countries' withdrawal will not come without challenges.

It will affect the movement of goods and populations, citizens  risking to lose their right to travel freely without visas for 90 days within the rest of the bloc, and to trade without adding taxes.

The three nations also lack access to the sea, and without cooperation from neighbouring Togo and Benin could lose their connection to any port, even though Morocco has offered to help on that matter.

Some experts have described the withdrawal as evidence of the three juntas' fragility.

But according to the Timbuku Institute, it also "represents a clear regression in the security situation of the ECOWAS region as a homogeneous area of collective security cooperation, where the risks and threats of inter-state conflict had been virtually eliminated.

The experts think that withdrawal and constitution of the Alliance of Sahel States risk undermining even the legitimacy and credibility of the whole African Union (AU).