ECOWAS: Political situations in member states demand attention – Tuggar

Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers has called the regional bloc to address political situations in some Member States.

Burkina-Faso, Mali and the Republic of Niger are currently under military rule.

Tuggar made the call in his opening remarks at the 53rd Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial level in Abuja on Wednesday.

He underscored the need to address the political situation in Member States, where transitions, electoral processes and governance deficits demand the regional bloc’s attention.

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“The agenda before us today highlights the pressing challenges facing our region. Among these is the political situation in Member States, where transitions, electoral processes and governance deficits demand our concerted attention.

“Political stability is the foundation of sustainable development and regional integration. It provides the conditions necessary for peace, security and economic growth. Without stability, the aspirations of our people for prosperity and progress will remain unfulfilled. Thus, we must redouble efforts to strengthen governance frameworks and promote inclusive, peaceful political transitions,” he said.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, said the region had agreed on certain fundamental values and principles which are necessary for its stability and peace.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic, under military rule, had announced their exit from the regional bloc earlier in the year.

The juntas came into power after separate coups between 2020 and last year. The ECOWAS consequently imposed sanctions, demanding speedy restoration of civilian rule in the three countries.

The regional bloc had at some point contemplated the use of military force to restore elected leaders in the three nations, especially in Niger Republic, before it backed down.

However, some of the sanctions earlier imposed on the trio have since been dumped for diplomatic means to persuade the military regimes to return power to democratically elected leaders.

But the military rulers have defied all entreaties and are forging ahead with their collaborations.

Tuggar also disclosed that the actualization of the ECOWAS Standby Force is advancing steadily.

He noted that the escalating threats of terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational organised crime pose a shared burden that no country could confront alone, adding: “These challenges underscore the necessity of collective action and regional cooperation.”

The meeting, which moved into a closed-door session after the opening ceremony, deliberated on reports on the political, humanitarian and security situations in the region as well as the establishment of National Early Warning and Response Centres.

This would be deliberated on at the 93rd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers today before the ratification by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.