President John Mahama has extended another invitation to the military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to attend the upcoming ECOWAS summit in Accra, marking the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS. This move comes despite the three Sahel nations formally cutting ties with ECOWAS earlier this year and forming their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES), raising concerns about trade disruptions and regional cooperation.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, clarified that the invitation was extended directly by President Mahama in his capacity as the summit host. “I did indicate all ECOWAS heads of state have been invited for this event, including heads of state of the AES countries,” Mr Ablakwa stated at the launch of the anniversary celebrations. “Because of the divorce from ECOWAS, it requires the host president to be solely responsible for that invitation. So they will come as guests of the Ghanaian president.”
He further elaborated that President Mahama’s gesture is a step towards rebuilding ties between ECOWAS and the breakaway countries. “In the spirit of goodwill and seeking to foster reunification… when President Mahama discussed with his colleagues that he wanted to invite the AES heads of state, he did not face any opposition or resistance. That is really a good sign that there is genuine commitment and desire for ECOWAS to be fully reintegrated.”
Additionally, Mr Ablakwa disclosed that President Mahama had briefed the ECOWAS Chair, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, on his engagements with the military governments. “President Tinubu has said that at the next ECOWAS heads of state summit, President Mahama will be given the floor to present a detailed report of his engagements,” he said.
Meanwhile, concerns have been raised regarding the continued involvement of the Sahelian leaders in ECOWAS matters following their official exit. ECOWAS expert, Fatau Musa, shed light on the longstanding challenges. “Up until they left, they were participating in the Accra Initiative. ECOWAS always invited them to this meeting. Since about 2007, the Sahelian countries have been very reticent in collaboration with the rest of the region,” he explained.
He further highlighted that ECOWAS had previously tried to establish a Sahel strategy but faced strong opposition from countries like Algeria. “When the G5 Sahel was created, applications by other ECOWAS members to join were rebuffed. So the trajectory that the AES has taken is not very surprising,” he noted.
In conclusion, President Mahama’s initiative to invite the military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to the upcoming ECOWAS summit in Accra signifies a diplomatic effort to mend ties and foster regional cooperation. The decision to include the breakaway countries in discussions reflects a genuine commitment to reunification within the ECOWAS community.
