The exit of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will not augur well for unity and socio-economic integration of the sub-region. The leaders of the three countries had on January 28 jointly expressed their intention to quit the regional bloc.
ECOWAS had suspended the three countries following the resurgence of coups in these countries. The leadership of ECOWAS has enjoined the affected countries to ensure a quick return to democratic rule. ECOWAS has also applied some economic sanctions that will make the juntas to come up with realistic transition plans.
Swiftly, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have accused ECOWAS of drifting from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism after nearly 50 years of its establishment, adding that the body is now under the influence of foreign powers.
“After 49 years of existence, the brave people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with much regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their organization has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism. Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betrayed its founding principles and has become a threat to its member states and populations whose happiness is supposed to ensure” they stated.
The three countries claimed that ECOWAS has not provided assistance to them in the context of their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity. The juntas have consolidated their positions and formed an “Alliance of Sahel States.”
Nigeria has bemoaned the ugly development in the sub-region. The African Union (AU) has also expressed regret over the action by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso and called for intensification of dialogue by the sub-regional body and the countries to iron out their differences. ECOWAS Commission has claimed that it has not received any formal notification from the three member states about their intention to withdraw from the union.
ECOWAS was formed on May 28, 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria by 15-member states. Its objectives include provision of economic cooperation among West African states in specialised fields such as transport, communication, agriculture, trade industry and liberalisation of trade between member states. It also aims at improving relations between the member states; improving living standards of people in the member states and creating a customs union in the region. ECOWAS equally seeks to promote industrial development and cultural interaction among member states. ECOWAS treaty recommends that member states wishing to withdraw must give written notice a year in advance, and will continue to abide by its provisions during that year.
This is not the first time a member of the union will withdraw its membership. Perhaps the only difference is that three countries are doing so in one fell swoop. Mauritania withdrew in December 2000 and later signed a new associate membership agreement in August 2017.
No doubt, the exit of the three nations from ECOWAS will hamper trade and services within the region. It will definitely weaken the $277.22billion trade of the region with the world. Besides, the exit could impact imports and exports in the region, ranked as one of the strong pillars of the African Continental Free Trade Area, with the rest of the world.
Nigeria is likely to be the hardest hit in the event of the three countries leaving the union. Nigeria shares a border of about 1,668 km with Niger, which has many porous and unmanned routes. Without formal institutional frameworks, it may be difficult to checkmate cross-border criminals from these countries.
That is why the leadership of ECOWAS should use diplomacy to ensure that these countries remain in the union. ECOWAS cannot afford any dismemberment at this point in time that it needs cooperation to ensure security and economic development in the sub-region. The regional bloc and the three countries will gain nothing from the exit.
Henceforth, the leadership of ECOWAS should apply tact and diplomacy in wading into the political affairs of member states. Let ECOWAS leadership dialogue with the leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso on the best way forward.
While military coup is an aberration in politics, the only anti-dote to incessant military interventions in West Africa is good governance. The resurgence of coups in the sub-region shows that democracy has not really evolved in some of the countries in the region.
We enjoin Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to remain in the union. Withdrawal from it won’t solve their problems. It will rather exacerbate them. They should intensify plans to return their countries to democratic rule. No matter its imperfections, democratic rule is still far better than military rule.