The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has urged Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reconsider their decision to withdraw from the regional bloc, highlighting the critical need for unity and deeper regional integration.
The appeal was made at the closing ceremony of a five-day delocalised meeting of the Parliament’s Joint Committee, held in Banjul, Gambia. The session focused on the ramifications of the trio’s withdrawal earlier this year, a decision the countries attributed to ECOWAS’s alleged deviation from its founding principles and its perceived alignment with Western interests.
Senator Edwin Snowe, Chair of the Joint Committee, described the exit of the Sahel nations as a significant setback for ECOWAS, which has spent over five decades pursuing economic integration and regional development.
“We want you back,” Snowe stated. “Let us work together as a team. Disagreements are inevitable, but we must find common ground.”
He further emphasised the importance of sustained parliamentary cooperation and encouraged lawmakers and staff to remain steadfast in the face of current challenges.
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Veronica Sesay, Chairperson of the Committee on Social Affairs, Gender, Women in Parliament, and Persons with Disabilities, reinforced the message of reconciliation. She called on the departing countries to move past their grievances, recalling ECOWAS’s instrumental role in resolving past civil conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“We have stood by each other during difficult periods,” she said. “And in times of division, it is women and children who suffer the most.”
Parliamentarians also stressed the importance of continued dialogue with the withdrawing states during the six-month grace period following their formal notification in January. They recommended involving women parliamentarians in mediation efforts and engaging with other regional bodies, including the African Union and river basin organisations.
The session concluded with a reaffirmation of the Parliament’s commitment to safeguarding ECOWAS unity, regional peace and security, and the seamless movement of people and goods across member states.
