Can ECOWAS Reign in Her Three Prodigal Sons?
By Umar Farouk Bala,
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its Chairman, President Bola Tinubu, has formally initiated diplomatic efforts to reunite the junta-led nations of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso with the regional bloc.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, President of Senegal, was appointed as a special envoy to the breakaway states. His mission is to employ diplomacy to encourage these suspended members to rejoin ECOWAS.
These three nations had already been suspended from ECOWAS, which has continuously urged them to transition back to democratic rule.
At a meeting in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, Tinubu commissioned Faye to collaborate with Togo’s President, Faure Gnassingbé, in convincing Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to abandon their Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and return to the West African bloc.
The Alliance of Sahel States was formed as a defense pact by the three junta-led countries in September 2023, partly in response to Tinubu’s proposed military intervention to restore democracy in their territories. Mali’s leader, Assimi Goïta, remarked, “[An] attack on one of us will be an attack on all.”
The leaders of these nations have accused ECOWAS of serving foreign interests that hinder African development. This has fueled their drive to depart from ECOWAS and establish an organization they believe better reflects the prosperity goals of their citizens.
“We are going to create an AES [Alliance of Sahel States] of the peoples, instead of an ECOWAS dictated by foreign powers,” said Abdourahmane Tchiani, Niger’s Head of State.
The split was first announced in January this year. During the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States, Tchiani stated that their departure from ECOWAS was permanent.
However, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray cautioned at a recent conference in Abuja that this joint withdrawal could disrupt the free flow of people, goods, and services in West Africa and severely worsen regional insecurity.
West African nations, particularly Burkina Faso, have witnessed a surge in violence. In 2023, over 8,000 lives were lost to violence in Burkina Faso, as recorded by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
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Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, neighboring countries in West Africa, face severe insurgencies from groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Military coups in each of these countries have replaced democratic governments with military-led administrations, and each has pivoted away from traditional Western allies, reducing defense collaborations with France and the United States in favor of strengthening ties with Russia.
Despite these changes, it remains unclear if the shift has helped reduce the region’s ongoing violence. Together, these countries have a combined population of approximately 72 million people.
In economic matters, the new alliance has considered abandoning the CFA currency, pegged to the Euro and used by eight West African countries. Though no official decision has been made, the alliance has discussed establishing an investment bank and stabilization fund to foster economic independence.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS continues to lead its project for a unified West African currency, the ‘Eco,’ with joining guidelines expected by early 2025.
Despite the developments, Tinubu remains optimistic that diplomatic efforts can persuade AES leaders, whom he referred to as “brothers,” to reconsider their decision as the bloc approaches its 50th anniversary.
ECOWAS has adopted a more measured tone in communications with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, referring to their alliance by its official name in formal discourse. This suggests a strategic pivot by ECOWAS, which has recognized that confrontational language only exacerbates tensions and fuels suspicions that Western powers are exerting undue influence over African nations.
As ECOWAS approaches its half-century mark, the regional bloc faces an unprecedented challenge: bridging the widening rift with three of its former members. President Tinubu and his allies hope that, through diplomacy, they can restore unity and stability across West Africa—reminding the breakaway states of the shared heritage and common goals that ECOWAS represents.
Yet the question remains whether these “prodigal sons” will ultimately return to the fold. ECOWAS now stands at a pivotal juncture, wondering: can it truly reign in her three prodigal sons?
Umar Farouk Bala holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science & International Relations from Nile University of Nigeria and is a 2024 PRNigeria Young Communication Fellow. He can be reached via: [email protected].
