The Foreign Affairs Ministers in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are currently meeting in Abuja, over the decision of the military authorities governing the Republics of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw their membership from ECOWAS.
The meeting will also consider the political situation in Senegal where the President postponed the presidential poll, leading to massive protests.
The Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, while addressing the delegates at the Extraordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council at Ministerial Level said, the crucial meeting has been convened to address these recent developments and challenges faced in the sub-region.
The exit of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS.
Tuggar who is also the Chair of the Mediation and Security Council, tasked delegates to devise solutions to the challenges presented by these decisions.
“Let me underscore that in our pursuit of solutions, we must remain committed to the principles of democratic governance and safeguarding the right of our people to freely elect their leaders.
“I commend the collective efforts of all our Member States in upholding the decision by ECOWAS on those Member States that have deviated from constitutional governance.
“ECOWAS commitment to addressing these challenges underscores our shared dedication to preserving the democratic principles upon which our organization stands.
“We are sovereign and independent nations, but support the rights of all our citizens to the same basic and fundamental freedoms.
“Our meeting here today provides us the opportunity to carefully assess the challenges presented by the decision of the military rulers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger arbitrarily to withdraw from ECOWAS, with all the potential implications for the lives of their people, and indeed for the Community as a whole.
“We are also here to review the unfolding situation in Senegal and develop a plan to navigate the resulting complexities. We have faced similar crises in the past.
“As a region, we have not been found wanting. There are high expectations out there, from ordinary people as well as our partners in the international community, that this meeting can come up with far-reaching decisions to transform our challenges into opportunities.
“It goes without saying that we are stronger, together: as a Community we project not just our common values and a more attractive market.
“We also can deal more effectively with those shared challenges that go beyond national borders: climate change, violent extremism, migration and organized crime, to name but a few.”
Tuggar also emphasised that ECOWAS Commission will make presentations on the situation in the three Sahel countries as well as the postponement of Presidential elections in
Senegal.
He, therefore, said, it is imperative that the council strive to formulate actionable recommendations crucial in guiding the collective response to the state of affairs in the region.
“I also implore us all to engage in constructive dialogue as our decisions here today should reflect the interest of our community’s citizens in these countries, as well as their citizens, who live in such numbers in ECOWAS states, and be guided by the imperative of promoting democratic values,” he added.
Similarly, ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Alieu Touray disclosed that the meeting will consider the notification of withdrawal of the three countries and wider implementations.
Touray, however, noted that this is the best time for the sub-region to stay together as a community despite the challenges.
He emphasised that ECOWAS is not an institution but a community adding that the claims given by the countries have no real basis but were hasty.
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