The African Union reached out for dialogue on Tuesday between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and junta-led countries Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso who have said they will leave the commission.
The resolution of this trio to leave the commission is a big spoiler to the bloc’s regional unifying and consistent efforts after it suspended them as a result of the coups.
The AU had backed ECOWAS’ efforts to restore democracy.
“The Chairperson of the African Union Commission H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat learned with deep regret of the announcement of the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS,”
-The AU
“(He) calls for combined efforts so that the irreplaceable unity of ECOWAS is preserved and African solidarity strengthened”
Moussa Faki Mahamat said
He encouraged regional leaders for continuous dialogue between the ECOWAS leadership and the three countries, and said the AU was always there for any help.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’s foreign ministries officially notified the ECOWAS Commission of their decisions to leave the bloc in paper as at 29th of January.
In accordance with the bloc’s treaty, member states withdrawing must submit a written notification to the body one year earlier. With this, there is ample time for the two parties to negotiate.
The trio’s stance towards ECOWAS has caused unrest all over the region and countries where the military are not doing enough in resisting the Islamist militants.
