The Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has gathered for a special meeting in Accra to discuss plans after Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially announced their withdrawal from the regional group.
In his opening remarks, the Chair of the Council, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, thanked the government and people of Ghana for their warm welcome and for hosting this important meeting.
He also congratulated Ghana and the ECOWAS Commission on the successful start of the “ECOWAS at 50” celebrations, calling the activities a timely reminder of the bloc’s achievements and goals.
He stated, “This meeting shows our strong commitment to improving our regional community and achieving ECOWAS’s main objectives.”
This special session followed an instruction from the Authority of Heads of State and Government during its 66th Ordinary Session, which asked the Council to create a plan for the withdrawal of the three Sahel countries.
The ECOWAS Commission is set to provide documents that will explain the withdrawal process, the suspension of programs in the affected nations, and the issues related to the free movement of people, goods, and services.
Furthermore, the Council will consider relocating ECOWAS institutions and agencies that are currently located in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to prevent any disruptions caused by their departures. The Chair recognized that this session is a tough time in the history of ECOWAS.
“We never intended to discuss the exit of member states. However, we must respect the independence of these countries under their current military governments and find a way forward,” he stated.
Even though the situation is serious, Tuggar encouraged ministers to see the crisis as a chance to refresh the organization and recommit to working together as a region. He pointed out that ECOWAS is still the most unified regional group in Africa, supported by shared policies and a common goal for political, economic, and security cooperation.
“As we plan for the future, we have a duty to uphold the ECOWAS legacy and make it stronger for those who come after us. Our unity has faced challenges before, and we came out stronger. We will do it again,” he asserted.
The Chair urged his colleagues to participate in helpful discussions and to make sure the withdrawal process is carried out effectively, reaffirming that ECOWAS is the leading platform for tackling the shared issues of West Africa. “Being a member, as the saying goes, comes with its benefits,” he added.
