Regional blocs
Why it is necessary for ECOWAS to recognise the AES
picture alliance/Matrix Images/Afolabi Sotunde
Omar Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, announces the withdrawal of the military governments of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the organisation.
The secession of the three countries dates back to 16 September 2023, when they founded the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Their intention to break away from ECOWAS is based on the accusation that the bloc serves western interests – particularly those of France – and has failed to support its members in the fight against terrorism and insecurity.
Article 91 of the revised ECOWAS Treaty of 1993 stipulates that “any member state wishing to withdraw from the community shall give one year’s notice in writing to the Executive Secretary, who shall inform the member states thereof.” The withdrawal of the three states took effect on 29 January 2025 in accordance with the treaty. Despite the secession, ECOWAS remains committed to the reintegration of the three states and appointed Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé as mediators in the negotiations. On 29 January, ECOWAS further established a transitional period “until the modalities of our future engagement with the three countries are fully defined.”
The ECOWAS negotiators must now take a pragmatic approach and make a convincing offer to the AES countries: diplomatic recognition.
Do not set rules that you cannot enforce
The coup d’état in Niger in July 2023 was the fourth successful coup in West Africa in two years. Four days later, ECOWAS convened an extraordinary summit to reaffirm its zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes of government and call for the immediate release and reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum. The bloc warned that it would take “all necessary measures” to restore constitutional order if its demands were not met within a week. In addition, ECOWAS imposed far-reaching sanctions to completely isolate the landlocked country.
However, when these threats did not have the desired effect, ECOWAS had no choice but to lift the sanctions not only against Niger, but as well against Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali where military coups had also taken place. The alternative would have been a regional war. The French newspaper Le Monde noted that the organisation was faced with this decision “at the risk of losing all credibility”. Indeed, the defeat in the confrontation with the military juntas represented a major setback for the fifty-year-old regional bloc.
According to many observers, the authority of ECOWAS has been seriously jeopardised. Its “governance and rule of law” agenda, the second pillar of its Vision 2050, has faltered so much that several analyses now see the community’s survival at risk.
Unenforceable rules lead to inefficiency, stagnation and institutional decline. Lacking the resources or political will to implement key regulations, ECOWAS has struggled for a decade with a gap in its policy implementation – a gap that was once again exposed by the Niger crisis in 2023.
A viable path out of the crisis
The ECOWAS mediators have not succeeded in changing the minds of the three breakaway countries; on the contrary, the AES authorities are strengthening their alliance. They recently announced the creation of a joint force and the issuing of AES passports.
Maintaining good relations with the AES states is a strategic imperative for ECOWAS. The organisation must make an offer that is convincing enough to reintegrate the breakaway states. The offer of diplomatic recognition could significantly improve the situation. Such confidence-building measures would help to reduce tensions and repair the damage caused by the ECOWAS overreaction to the coup in Niger.
Here are three important reasons why:
- First, the consideration of recognition would signal the expectation of long-term stability for this nascent political entity.
- Second, recognition would fundamentally change the image of ECOWAS. Instead of subordinating itself to western interests, the organisation would present itself as pragmatic and future oriented. Recognising AES would send a powerful message of unity despite existing differences.
- Third, ECOWAS and the AES must go beyond mere coexistence – they must work together, promote economic growth and fight their common enemy, terrorism, together. Political recognition would mark the beginning of a new era and pave the way for self-determined African cooperation instead of confrontation.
Eric Tevoedjre is a political scientist from Benin. His research focuses on regional integration in Africa, especially the ECOWAS region.
erictev@gmail.com
