ECOWAS plans next steps amid exit of three member states

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council is considering the relocation of its institutions and agencies currently based in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, following the trio’s formal withdrawal from the regional bloc.

This development was disclosed in a statement by Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Chairing an Extraordinary Session of the Council in Accra, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, said the ECOWAS Commission is expected to submit memoranda addressing the disengagement process. These include the suspension of programs in the withdrawing countries and challenges concerning the free movement of people, goods, and services across the region.

Ambassador Tuggar acknowledged that deliberating on the exit of member states was far from the Council’s intention. However, he emphasized the need to adapt to changing political realities under the current military regimes in the three Sahelian nations.

“It is never our wish to discuss the withdrawal of our member states,” he said. “But in respecting the sovereignty of these nations, we must now chart a forward-looking course.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tuggar called on ECOWAS ministers to seize the moment as a catalyst for institutional renewal and deeper regional integration.

“As we look ahead, our responsibility is to maintain the ECOWAS legacy and pass it on stronger to the next generation. Our unity has been tested before—and we emerged stronger. We will do so again,” he affirmed.

He also praised Ghana and the ECOWAS Commission for the successful launch of the “ECOWAS at 50” celebrations, describing the commemorative events as a timely reflection of the bloc’s resilience and collective ambition.

“This gathering demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the advancement of our regional community and the fulfillment of ECOWAS’s core purpose,” Tuggar added.

The Extraordinary Session was convened in line with a directive from the Authority of Heads of State and Government during its 66th Ordinary Session, mandating the Council to design a contingency plan to manage the disengagement process.

The ECOWAS Commission’s forthcoming memoranda are expected to guide the bloc through this critical transition while safeguarding the principles of regional unity and cooperation.

FRCN