The Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States is set to convene in Accra, Ghana, to address the ongoing withdrawal process of three member countries, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, from the regional body, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Chairman of the ECOWAS Council, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed this development in a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The upcoming extraordinary session is in response to a directive from the Authority of Heads of State and Government issued during the 66th Ordinary Session.
The directive mandates the Council to outline strategies and develop a contingency plan to manage the disengagement of the three Sahel countries.
Tuggar stated, “The ECOWAS Commission is expected to present memoranda addressing the withdrawal process, suspension of programmes in the affected countries, and challenges related to the free movement of people, goods and services.
“Additionally, the Council will examine the potential relocation of ECOWAS institutions and agencies currently based in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger with an eye toward mitigating any disruptions caused by their exit.”
Describing the current situation as a difficult chapter in the history of the community, Tuggar noted, “It was never the community’s wish to deliberate on the withdrawal of member states.
“In recognising the sovereignty of these nations under their current military governments, we must now adapt and chat a forward-looking path.”
He concluded by calling on fellow ministers to pursue institutional reforms and renew their dedication to regional unity, stressing that ECOWAS continues to stand as Africa’s most integrated regional bloc, anchored by aligned policies and a collective vision for peace, security, and development.
