Withdrawal of Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso from ECOWAS threatens regional security — Commissioner

The Economic Community of West African States Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, has stated that the withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso from the regional bloc will lead to unintended security consequences.

In January, the three military-led West African nations announced their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS, accusing the organisation of becoming a threat to its member states.

Speaking at the 42nd ordinary session of the Committee of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja on Wednesday,
Musah stressed that their withdrawal would inevitably undermine coordination and cooperation in combating terrorism, human trafficking, and transnational organised crime.

He said, “The exit of these countries from ECOWAS after almost five decades of diplomatic, political, and security cooperation will eventually generate unintended consequences on the security front.

“Such a withdrawal will inevitably undermine coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism, human trafficking, and transnational organised crime in our region. This situation compels this gathering to also focus deliberations on reassessing our peace and security strategies moving forward.”

Musah called on the ECOWAS Defence Chiefs to finalise the planning for the deployment to stabilise Sierra Leone and the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot at Lungi in the Republic of Sierra Leone.

He added, “This meeting will also be updated on progress in the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot at Lungi in the Republic of Sierra Leone, among other initiatives.”

The Nigerian Minister of Defence, Mohammad Badaru, called for the development of new military strategies to ensure peace and stability in the region.

He said, “As we develop new military strategies and coordinate regional security, we must ensure peace, stability, and effective responses to emerging threats. Your capacity to devise solutions is more essential than ever as we strive to protect our security and uphold regional peace, stability, and security, as inclusively stated under the fundamental principles of the Air Force.”

He also urged the regional defence chiefs to reflect deeply on the rapidly evolving and complex security situation in West Africa.

He said, “The threats we face are multi-faceted, ranging from violence, terrorism, and insurgency to organised crime and piracy.

“As the vanguard of our peace and security efforts, your strategies, decisions, and actions are vital in determining our security landscape and architecture.”

Badaru also called for a new mechanism to curb the proliferation of small arms in the region, adding that the influx had reached an alarming level.

He said, “The illicit movement of small arms and light weapons in our region has reached alarming levels. There is a need for the development of new mechanisms to complement the existing Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons to effectively prevent further proliferation of these weapons.”