Brief: Sahel Juntas Confirm their Rejection of ECOWAS

Established in 1975, the Economic Community of West African States or #ECOWAS had 15 members, three of which have recently called it quits. Three may not sound significant but it is, considering that others are not too happy with the way the organization operates and how it’s controlled. Furthermore, the three countries that left the grouping, namely #Mali, #Niger and #BurkinaFaso represent a substantial size of the Ecowas geography, one that links West and Central Africa to North Africa.

The reasons for such an exit are many, starting with the fact that Ecowas leaders do not like the new juntas that violently took power in the three countries mentioned above. Then, Ecowas enacted a series of punitive actions against the three to pressure them to return to “democratic” principles. That did not work. But the three, and my voices in the region, are convinced that Ecowas is being used by foreign powers, in particular France, as a means to influence this part of Africa. This past weekend, the three Sahel nations reaffirmed that they want nothing to do with Ecowas. Well, that’s what the junta leaders say, anyway

Is there a chance for Ecowas to implode? Yes if it does not undertake substantial reform and give some guarantee that decisions are not made in foreign capitals on its behalf. Source: https://north-africa.com/nedu