Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali Withdrawal poses security risk says Touray

Raphael Oni

His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission calls for unity and better integration considering the present challenges facing the region. He made this call at the opening ceremony of the 2024 first ordinary session of the 6th Parliament in Abuja. Recently, the decision by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw from the regional security alliance has sparked concerns regarding the stability of the West African region.

With these three key players stepping back from their commitments, there is now a pressing need to reevaluate the security protocols in place. The absence of their contributions could leave a significant gap in the overall defense strategy, opening up the possibility of increased threats from external forces. It is imperative that a comprehensive plan be put in place to address this sudden shift in alliances. Failure to do so could have far-reaching consequences for the entire region, making it more vulnerable to security risks and instability.

Speaking on the matter in his address, the ECOWAS President said it is clear that disintegration will not only disrupt the freedom of movement and establishment of people, but it will also aggravate insecurity in the region. As the international community watches closely, the fate of West Africa hangs in the balance. The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger must be viewed as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to come together and devise new strategies to ensure the safety and security of the region. 

Touray said that the withdrawal of the three countries will deal a severe blow to security cooperation, particularly in terms of intelligence sharing and participation in the fight against regional terrorism and other joint security initiatives, such as the operationalization of the ECOWAS standby force that the member states’ defense ministers have just agreed to activate, as well as the Accra Initiative and the Multinational Joint Taskforce. Further more, he said the withdrawal of the three countries, could also lead to diplomatic and political isolation on the international stage, as these countries will no longer be able to benefit from bloc support when their citizens or candidates seek international positions within the African Union, the United Nations, and similar bodies.

On the issue of free movement within the region, he noted that the withdrawal will greatly affect travel and immigration conditions for citizens of these three countries, as they will now have to apply for visas before traveling within the sub-region, stressing that citizens of these countries may no longer be able to reside or freely create businesses within the facilities established by ECOWAS and may be subject to various national laws.

Touray said, “Additionally, these three countries will have to cease using ECOWAS passports, the ECOWAS biometric national identity card, and the ECOWAS “Brown Card” automobile insurance on a regional scale. Economically and financially, the withdrawal of the three member states could lead to the cessation or suspension of all projects and programs implemented by ECOWAS in these countries, valued at over 500 million US dollars.”

Further more, the ECOWAS financial institutions will be affected, in the words of the Touray, “It is also worth noting that the two regional financial institutions, namely the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), have significant investments in these three countries. EBID has 27 projects currently in these three countries, with a total value estimated at around 321.634 million US dollars, of which 38.1 percent are public sector projects and 61.9 percent are private sector projects. The banking portfolio in these three countries represents approximately 22.5 percent of the total bank portfolio in the 15 member states. The three countries have contributed a total of 33.135 million US dollars to the bank’s capital.”

Touray said the four transitional countries were invited to send representatives to this legislature,  unfortunately, only the Republic of Guinea responded positively to this invitation. According to Touray, “Inviting the transitional countries to send their representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament was one of the many measures we have taken to involve the transitional countries since the extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024. Other measures include requests for hearings and invitations to participate in sectoral and consultative meetings. Although none of these openings have received a response, my colleagues and I at the commission remain determined to continue reaching out to preserve the unity of the sub-region. As representatives of the people, your role in this process is crucial, and that is why I commend the resolution you took in Kano to involve the various stakeholders from the three countries. I assure you of the full support of the ECOWAS commission for the various steps you are taking. We must be effective and strategic in our engagement,”

Earlier in her speech, Her Excellency Hajia Mamounatou Ibrahima, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States stressed the need for a multifaceted approach to tackle the diverse crises ravaging West Africa.The Speaker solicited the assistance of the regional institutions to tackle the scourge of poverty, terrorism, violent extremism, food insecurity and climate change in the sub-region.

Madam Speaker noted that the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed very ifficult situations in West Africa saying, “we are still grappling with a number of scourges and challenges, such as poverty, climate change, the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the conflict in the Middle East, to name but a few. In her words, “Unfortunately, these problems are compounded by another phenomenon of staggering proportions in our region, namely the upsurge in the threat of terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime, which is costing the lives of our valiant defence and security forces, as well as thousands of innocent people. This asymmetrical threat weighs heavily on our conscience as Africans.”

She said that at the 2024 Second Extraordinary session held from May 20 to 25, 2024 in Kano State, Nigeria, the Parliament considered and adopted the fundamental texts, which are key to the functioning of the Community Parliament, namely the Rules of Procedure, the Strategic Plan of the 6th Legislature and the 2024 Activity Plan. She also said that the regional Parliament has taken steps to address the desire of three of its Member-States to withdraw from the Community, as well as the growing tensions between the Republics of Benin and Niger

Nigerian Senate President  His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio remarked that the socio-political, economic, and security challenges facing the West African sub-region were not insurmountable. He emphasised that addressing and overcoming these challenges would necessitate collective optimism, unity, innovation, and a steadfast belief in the shared destiny of the sub-region’s people. Akpabio highlighted the importance of transforming the region’s collective aspirations into lasting achievements.

The Senate President represented by Deputy Senate President and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament Sen. Barau Jibrin, underscored the long-standing history of collaboration among the region’s diverse populations. He urged the Community Parliament to move beyond legislation and uplift the people through effective collaboration. In his words,  “As we engage in the upcoming deliberations and discussions, let us maintain our optimism. The challenges we face are not insurmountable. With unity, innovation, and an unwavering belief in our shared destiny, we can translate our collective aspirations into enduring achievements.”

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