Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko made his first visit to Mali since his political party’s victory in the March 2024 presidential elections. The visit is part of Senegal’s diplomatic efforts to persuade Mali, which is currently under military rule, to rejoin the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a 15-nation regional bloc established in 1975.
Mali, along with Niger and Burkina Faso, withdrew from ECOWAS following military coups that strained their relationships with neighboring West African countries.
During a meeting with Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali’s interim president, Sonko emphasized the importance of unity among West African nations, urging them to set aside their differences and work towards recreating “a Malian empire that stretched from here to Senegal, Ghana, and everywhere in between.”
In January, the juntas of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso criticized ECOWAS for imposing “illegitimate, inhumane, and irresponsible” sanctions following their coups, which they argued were necessary to “take their destiny into their own hands” in response to security challenges.
ECOWAS has been at the forefront of efforts to restore civilian rule in these countries, applying sanctions and rejecting prolonged transitional timelines. The departure of these nations marks a significant rupture in the bloc’s nearly 50-year history.
In response, the three nations have formed an alternative union known as The Alliance of Sahel States. Senegal’s President Basirou Diomaye Faye, who visited Mali in May, faces the formidable task of reuniting a fractured regional bloc.
(AP)
