Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Nigeria has reacted to the unfolding crises in its neighbourhood through the statement by its Foreign Affairs ministry, signed by the spokesperson, Mrs. Francisca Omayuli. It stated that ”Nigeria remains open for engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger so that all the people of the region can continue to enjoy the economic benefits and democratic values that ECOWAS embraces. Nigeria further appeals to the international community to continue to extend its support for ECOWAS and the vision of closer partnership, cooperation and integration.”
”For half a century, ECOWAS has worked to promote peace, prosperity and democracy in the region. Nigeria stands with ECOWAS to emphasise due process and shared commitment to protect and strengthen the rights and welfare of all citizens of member states. Nigeria has worked sincerely and in good faith to reach out to all members of the ECOWAS family to resolve the difficulties being faced. It is now clear that those seeking to quit the community do not share that same good faith. Instead, unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade and freedom to choose their own leaders.”
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is the chairman of ECOWAS, since 2023.
On January 28, 2024, USAfricaonline.com reported that three West African/Sahel area countries Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced they were leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) immediately.
“After 49 years, the valiant peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the (ECOWAS) organization has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism,” Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, said in their joint statement.
“The organization notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity,” Abdramane stated in their criticism of ECOWAS.
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