May 18. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, called this Friday for a dialogue between the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the military junta of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which intend to leave the organization, in the face of mutual need to form a common front against the “dangers” of the region, plagued for years by jihadist terrorism.
“In terms of security, the danger is there and threatens even the very existence of some countries. In terms of illicit trafficking, drug trafficking and cybercrime, ECOWAS continues to face many challenges. (…) Together we will try to implement our ideas and reflections with our African brothers in ECOWAS who are about to abandon it,” Faye expressed during a press conference.
Following this, he named Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, calling for dialogue to “prevent them from leaving” ECOWAS, as he declared from Ghana, where he met with his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Because they need us. We need each other. That is why they will always have my commitment to work at their side, counting on their wisdom and their Pan-African ideal, with their heritage and that of other countries,” added Faye.
The Senegalese president has emphasized the need to strengthen ECOWAS to face common challenges, which can only be overcome “when there is unity.”
In mid-September, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after spending years fighting Islamist armed groups that, however, have increasing presence and territorial control. This instability has contributed to recent coups in 2023 (Niger), 2022 (Burkina Faso) and 2021 (Mali).
The three countries, which in January announced their departure from ECOWAS, are distancing themselves from the former colonial power, France, until now the main supplier of military aid. Mali now collaborates with the Russian group Wagner.
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