President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast and his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani Mahama, have urged Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to rejoin the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after their exit earlier this year. The three countries, which experienced military coups between 2020 and 2023, left ECOWAS at the end of January, forming an alliance known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!While in Abidjan, Mahama expressed his willingness to act as a “bridge” between ECOWAS and AES to facilitate a peaceful reintegration and ensure the countries transition to constitutional democracy. Ouattara also voiced hope that Mahama’s appeal would be heard, emphasizing the importance of unity within the region.
The exit followed the July 2023 coup in Niger, which led to ECOWAS threatening military intervention and imposing economic sanctions on Niamey—sanctions which were later lifted. The military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger criticized ECOWAS for its insufficient support in the fight against jihadist violence and for being too aligned with France, with whom they have strained relations.
Mahama, speaking at a joint news conference, emphasized the need for regional solidarity, stating, “When your neighbour’s house is on fire, you have to help him put it out before it spreads to your own compound.” He pledged to visit the three countries soon to help foster dialogue and cooperation.
Ouattara highlighted that ECOWAS member states are united in supporting efforts to bring the three nations back into the bloc, as the future of West Africa depends on maintaining regional cooperation. The talks also touched on key issues such as defense, security, and the cocoa economy, with both Ivory Coast and Ghana being major global producers.
