Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, has reiterated the nation’s decision to permanently withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This move aligns with similar decisions by Niger and Burkina Faso to leave ECOWAS earlier this year and establish a new confederation.
In a significant development, the leaders of the three Sahel countries officially formed their own confederation on Saturday, just a day after ECOWAS leaders convened in Abuja. During the ECOWAS meeting, the presidents of Senegal and Togo were appointed to facilitate discussions with the three departing nations.
Despite ECOWAS’s efforts to foster reconciliation, Diop expressed strong opposition to the notion of requiring visas for citizens of the three countries to travel within ECOWAS. This reaction underscores the motivation behind their departure, which includes concerns over perceived French interference in ECOWAS operations and insufficient support in combating jihadist groups.
In a state-run ORTM interview late Monday, Diop emphasized Mali’s firm stance on the withdrawal. “Our heads of state were very clear in Niamey when they said the withdrawal of the three countries from ECOWAS is irrevocable and was done without delay, and from now on we must stop looking in the rear-view mirror,” Diop stated.
He also highlighted Mali’s willingness to maintain collaborative efforts with neighboring countries and other organizations. “We will have to maintain discussions with others in order to move forward, but I believe that the path we have embarked upon is not reversible,” Diop added.
The creation of the confederation marks an initial stage in a broader vision to establish a federation among the three states. ECOWAS has indicated that the departing nations must adhere to a one-year deadline for their exit, yet the juntas in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso assert that their departure will be immediate and uncompromised.
This swift move has raised concerns about its impact on regional trade and travel. Diop criticized the potential reintroduction of visas within ECOWAS, warning that it would reveal lingering tendencies among some ECOWAS officials to use “old methods of frightening and blackmailing people.”
“In an integration process, there are gains and losses for everyone, but we must work to minimize the impact on our populations,” Diop concluded.
