ECOWAS has urged Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to prioritize dialogue and reconciliation amid concerns of their withdrawal from the bloc, according to an ECOWAS press release following an extraordinary meeting of its Mediation and Security Council (MSC).
The decision of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mail to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has presented "yet another challenge," but the bloc must continue to engage with countries to address regional challenges, chair of the MSC Yusuf Tuggar said.
"We must carry forward the momentum generated in this session and continue our efforts to engage with the concerned member states in the spirit of understanding and reconciliation," he noted.
Tuggar added that "the choice of these three countries to exit ECOWAS would not only bring hardship to their people but also undermine regional integration efforts."
In addition to regional integration, the meeting also addressed the issue of terrorism in West Africa.
In this vein, the bloc called for the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force to tackle the menace of terrorism looming over the community, including Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
"Despite the imposition of sanctions, ECOWAS has continued to support these countries in their counter-terrorism efforts," the press-release said.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS on January 28. The three countries argued that the bloc failed to "provide assistance to our states in the framework of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity."
The AES states have also explained that ECOWAS has "betrayed its founding principles" under foreign influence by imposing sanctions on countries after the coups.
The nations have had strained relations with the regional bloc since the military took power in Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023.