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Ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have gathered in Accra, Ghana, for a high-level meeting to discuss the formal exit of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the regional alliance.
The Council of Ministers’ session, chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, was convened following directives issued during the bloc’s 66th Ordinary Session.
According to a statement from Tuggar’s media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the council is expected to chart a plan and outline necessary measures for the departure of the three Sahel countries.
“This extraordinary meeting was mandated by the Authority of Heads of State and Government to establish procedures and contingency steps in response to the withdrawal of these member states,” Tuggar explained.
He revealed that the ECOWAS Commission will present detailed reports covering the withdrawal process, the suspension of regional programmes in the affected nations, and the implications for the free movement of people, goods, and services across the region.
Another item on the agenda is the possible relocation of ECOWAS agencies currently operating in the withdrawing countries.
This measure, Tuggar noted, aims to ensure operational continuity and minimize disruptions.
Describing the moment as one of the most difficult in the organization’s history, Tuggar acknowledged the sovereignty of the withdrawing nations under their current military regimes, while stressing the need to adopt a practical and forward-looking strategy in response.
“This is not a situation the ECOWAS community ever hoped to confront,” he stated. “But we must now focus on adapting and renewing our commitment to regional cooperation.”
Tuggar urged the ministers to engage in meaningful discussions that would facilitate a smooth and effective withdrawal process.
He reaffirmed ECOWAS’s standing as Africa’s most integrated regional bloc, built on common goals in politics, economics, and security.
“As we navigate this challenge, it is vital that we preserve ECOWAS’s legacy and ensure future generations inherit a stronger and more united region,” he said, adding, “Our unity has been tested before, and we have always emerged stronger. This time will be no different.”
He reiterated that while membership in ECOWAS comes with benefits, it also requires commitment to the bloc’s shared values.
He thanked the government and people of Ghana for hosting the session, which also coincides with the kickoff of ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The foreign minister described the anniversary as a significant opportunity to reflect on the bloc’s progress and renew its mission to foster unity and development in West Africa.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially notified ECOWAS of their withdrawal on January 29, 2025.
The three military-led nations had previously established the Alliance of Sahel States in September 2023 as an alternative regional security alliance.
Their departure reduces ECOWAS’s membership from 15 to 12 countries.