“ECOWAS does not wish to enter into a confrontation with the AES” | EUROtoday

En January 2024, the announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had the impact of a political earthquake. These nations, grouped underneath the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), denounce a company deemed “instrumentalized” and affirm their “irrevocable” resolution. Although the AES known as for an “immediate application” of this departure, article 91 of ECOWAS imposes a delay of 1 yr earlier than it takes impact, scheduled for January 29, 2025.

Despite quite a few makes an attempt at mediation, the army juntas haven’t relented, exacerbating inner divisions inside ECOWAS on the plan of action to comply with within the face of this historic rupture. This departure calls into query the way forward for financial and political integration in a area the place interdependencies are sturdy, significantly on the free motion of products and folks. As this deadline approaches, the group faces one of many best challenges of its existence. President of the International Center for Reflections and Studies on the Sahel (Cires) and journalist, Seidik Abba analyzes the challenges of this ongoing reconfiguration in West Africa.

Africa Point: Does the December 15 summit in Abuja, which ought to formalize the withdrawal of the nations of the Alliance of Sahel States (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) from ECOWAS, signify a risk to the way forward for the group? regional?

Seidik Abba: I don’t suppose these departures will mark the top of ECOWAS as a regional group. Despite latest criticism, sure main achievements, such because the free motion of individuals and items, will stay in pressure. These advantages won’t disappear in a single day.

ECOWAS should reinvent itself

The quick repercussions might be primarily administrative and institutional. For instance, Nigerien, Malian and Burkinabe civil servants working for ECOWAS should depart their posts. Likewise, the administration of the group’s belongings current in these nations should be resolved. Community tasks financed by donors through ECOWAS is also suspended, however options ought to be discovered to reduce the impression, significantly on ongoing tasks.

However, the absence of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which type the geographical coronary heart of the group, poses a serious problem to its territorial continuity. ECOWAS should reinvent itself, by rethinking its sanctions mechanisms and regaining the belief of the West African populations. An immense undertaking awaits it to regain its unity and legitimacy.

What is ECOWAS’ place vis-à-vis the AES nations?

ECOWAS appears to favor a realistic strategy relatively than open confrontation with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Faced with the failures of financial and monetary sanctions imposed previously, which regularly aggravated tensions with out producing the anticipated outcomes, the regional group is reluctant to open new fronts. A confrontation might certainly hurt its personal members, significantly those who share borders or shut financial ties with the AES nations.

ECOWAS residents can journey freely with a easy identification card

Nations like Senegal, affected by earlier sanctions towards Mali, now understand the financial and strategic dangers of such an escalation, significantly within the face of widespread challenges like terrorism. Despite the variations, the financial interdependence between the AES States and people of ECOWAS stays sturdy, making a complete break unthinkable. Some even hope for a attainable return of the AES nations to the group in the long run, as soon as tensions have eased.

What penalties for the widespread ECOWAS passport, guarantor of the free motion of residents, and for the diasporas established on this space?

Today, residents of the ECOWAS space can journey freely with a easy identification card, like Europeans within the Schengen space. However, obstacles stay, significantly at land borders the place unlawful practices, corresponding to racketeering by sure officers, generally complicate free motion. States should intensify their efforts to eradicate them.

Discussions on the widespread ECOWAS passport, guaranteeing this mobility, are influenced by latest political developments. If the AES had introduced a direct break, the Malian Prime Minister lately admitted that the query of a brand new passport will take time to materialize. For their half, the diasporas, significantly the Malian neighborhood of practically 5 million members in Ivory Coast, are placing strain on the juntas to keep up these amenities. Their financial position is essential: in 2022, remittances from Malians overseas reached 523 billion FCFA, equal to the general public growth help obtained by the nation. These flows help native tasks, schooling and well being, reinforcing the significance of preserving these hyperlinks for populations and the economic system.

The break between the AES and ECOWAS shouldn’t impression the eco undertaking

Does this rupture name into query the undertaking of the widespread foreign money, the eco, to interchange the FCFA? Conversely, what in regards to the future widespread foreign money of the AES?

These concepts of financial creation, whether or not it’s the eco or a standard foreign money for the AES, are extra political discourse than tasks that may be realized within the quick or medium time period. The army regimes of the AES use these themes to justify their orientations and discover scapegoats, such because the FCFA or ECOWAS.

The break between the AES and ECOWAS shouldn’t impression the eco undertaking, already at a standstill resulting from divergent pursuits and nationwide selfishness which have prevented its implementation. As for a standard foreign money particular to the AES, this appears even much less doubtless. The three nations have neither the financial stability nor the institutional bases crucial to hold out such a undertaking, even within the medium time period.

How can we clarify the questioning of the legitimacy of ECOWAS and the autumn in its reputation amongst West African populations? What criticism fueled this rejection?

When it was created in 1975, ECOWAS aimed to advertise financial integration, an goal achieved to a big extent. However, for the reason that adoption in 2001 of a pact on democracy and governance, ECOWAS has tried to broaden its political position. This transition, though crucial, has not all the time been effectively managed. The sanctions imposed in Mali and Niger, with out impact on the army regimes, have aggravated the rejection of the group, penalizing the inhabitants and fueling a sense of resentment. ECOWAS has additionally been criticized for its slowness within the face of coups d’état, notably these of Alpha Condé in Guinea and Alassane Ouattara in Ivory Coast, the place it didn’t have the braveness to firmly oppose the extension of mandates. Furthermore, its lack of help within the face of the safety disaster within the Sahel has bolstered the notion of its ineffectiveness, exacerbated by its contradictory perspective in direction of latest coups. These failures have critically tarnished its legitimacy and fueled its unpopularity.

The terrorist risk begins to unfold past the Sahel

Doesn’t this lack of solidarity with the Sahel nations spotlight a type of inequity inside ECOWAS in decision-making primarily based on the financial, demographic or different weight of the member states?

Nigeria performs a key position inside ECOWAS, resulting from its demographic and financial weight, representing 65% of the group’s GDP. The nation, which hosts the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, has all the time had a serious affect, notably by sending Ecomog peacekeeping forces, as throughout the disaster in Gambia in 1990. Leading nations, corresponding to Nigeria, have a higher voice in shaping the priorities of ECOWAS. For instance, the safety subject within the Sahel has lengthy been thought of a neighborhood downside, with out urgency for the nations not involved. Today, this neglect is regretted, because the terrorist risk begins to unfold past the Sahel, affecting the nations of the Gulf of Guinea.

Have there been different departures from ECOWAS previously?

Mauritania, which left ECOWAS in 2000 to maneuver nearer to the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), regularly returned to the group. Although it’s nonetheless an related state, Mauritania already advantages from sure benefits of ECOWAS, such because the free motion of individuals. Its rapprochement with the ECOWAS nations, notably Senegal, and the weak functioning of the AMU, led it to strengthen its hyperlinks with ECOWAS. She would possibly even think about full reintegration sooner or later.

Similarly, the AES nations (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), after a interval of tensions, might reassess their place. Once conflicts have calmed and regimes have modified, alternatives might come up, permitting nations like Niger to as soon as once more change into members or associates of ECOWAS.

ECOWAS ought to speed up financial integration

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Kangaroo of the day

Answer

Some voices are calling for ECOWAS to be reformed to revive its credibility. What are the expectations relating to this reform, and what measures should be put in place to realize this?

The major weak point of ECOWAS lies in its shortcomings in coverage and governance. Often, warning indicators of coups, corresponding to political tensions or manipulated elections, are ignored regardless of skilled warnings. To be credible, ECOWAS should strengthen its response mechanism, significantly on electoral and institutional points. It should additionally take clear positions on questions of basic freedoms, as proven by its silence within the face of the disappearances of activists in Guinea, whereas organizations just like the European Union have spoken out. In addition, ECOWAS ought to speed up financial integration and assure higher software of measures, significantly for the free motion of individuals and items, which requires sturdy political will from every member state.