ECOWAS Parliament Urges Return of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger
The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has once again expressed deep concern over the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional bloc, describing the departure of the Sahel nations as a major setback after five decades of regional unity.
Speaking at the close of a five-day Joint Committee Delocalised Meeting in Banjul, The Gambia, Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe Jr., Chairman of the organizing committee, called on the three countries to reconsider their exit and rejoin the community.
“We want you back. Let us come together as a team. No matter what, we agree to disagree,” Senator Snowe Jr. said, emphasizing the far-reaching political, economic, social, and humanitarian consequences of their withdrawal.
He underscored the urgent need for regional integration and collective problem-solving, warning that the ongoing split threatens the socio-economic stability of the Sahel region and weakens ECOWAS’s ability to respond to shared challenges.
Hon. Veronica Sessay, Chairperson of the Committee on Social Affairs, Gender, Women in Parliament, and Persons with Disabilities, also appealed to the three countries, urging them to set aside political differences for the greater good of the West African community.
“We need you—Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. We are a bloc. We should be working together,” she said.
Sessay, who also heads the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarian Association (ECOFEPA), cited ECOWAS’s historic interventions in Liberia and Sierra Leone as examples of regional solidarity, noting that the collective strength of the bloc has been instrumental in restoring peace during turbulent times.
“We’ve been helping each other. Those of us who experienced war in Liberia and Sierra Leone deeply appreciated ECOWAS’s intervention,” she added.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formally announced their exit from ECOWAS earlier this year, citing discontent with the bloc’s response to military coups in their respective countries. The trio accused ECOWAS of overstepping its bounds and deviating from its founding principles, particularly in its imposition of sanctions and demands for swift transitions to civilian rule.
Despite the standoff, ECOWAS Parliament continues to hold out hope for reconciliation, stressing that unity remains essential for sustainable peace and development in West Africa.
