Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, has said ECOWAS is working for return of the three Sahel countries, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which recently withdrew from its fold to return to the bloc.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso official quit ECOWAS in January 2025 after more than a year of diplomatic tensions following military take over of leadership in the three countries.
The three countries later adopted a treaty establishing a “Confederation of Sahel States.”
But Tuggar said the the door is not closed on the three countries: “We will continue to work hard towards the success of ECOWAS and all member states, including the three recently withdrawn ones, we are encouraging them to come back.
“As we keep saying, we have not closed the door on their return, we are confident that they will return because they are part and parcel of the region, it is just a matter of time,” the minister said when he received the ECOWAS Parliament’s Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima, who led a delegation from the parliament on a courtesy visit to him on Friday in Abuja.
The visit was part of the parliament’s efforts to strengthen intergovernmental relations and democratic governance ahead of its 25th anniversary later in November.
According to Tuggar, although the three countries have exited ECOWAS, Nigeria and other member countries would continue relating with them as neighbours and work together in certain areas for mutual benefits.
The minister urged the media to de-emphasise the issues of their unfortunate exit and instead focus attention on the sub-region’s economic development.
Tuggar listed such projects to include the West African Power Pool, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation scheme, Abidjan- Lagos Corridor, Abidjan –Dakar Corridor, among others, that would enhance regional development.
He described the ECOWAS Parliament as an embodiment of the representation of the citizens of member states with demonstrated commitment toward constitutional and democratic governance.
Speaking earlier, Ibrahima told the minister that the delegation visited him to update him on the activities of the parliament over the last one and half years, as well as its future activities.
She disclosed that the parliament, which was established in 2000, was preparing for its 25th Anniversary as a regional legislature.
“We are working on how we can have some capability and enhancement so that we can have more legislative role in the ECOWAS Community.
“We are looking at how we can support ECOWAS in all their programmes and activities,” she said.
Ibrahima was accompanied on the visit by the parliament’s Fourth Deputy Speaker, Billay Tunkara and its Secretary General, Bertin Some, among others.
(NAN)
