Story: Mohammed A. Abu
Following an earlier announcement by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of their decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), in a joint communique issued in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger on Sunday, the Regional body formally responded same day.
In a communique issued in Nigeria, the ECOWAS Commission noted that even though its attention has been drawn to statement broadcast on the National Televisions of Mali and Niger announcing the decision of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS, it is yet to receive any direct formal notification from the trio about their intention to withdraw from ECOWAS.
“The ECOWAS Commission as directed by the Heads of States and Governments”, the communique said, has been working assiduously with the three countries for the restoration of constitutional order.
“The three countries remain important members of the community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse.
“The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall make further pronouncements as the situation evolves “the communique added.
The Beef of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger
In their joint communique issued in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger earlier in the day, the three countries recounting the genesis, purpose and mission of ECOWAS,noted that, their Excellences, former Heads of State of Upper Volta (today Burkina Faso), Mali and Niger, “eager to achieve integration between the states in the sub-region and driven by the ideals of brotherhood, solidarity, mutual aid, peace and development, created with twelve (12) of their peers on May 28,1975 in Lagos, the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS)”
“After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the communique said note with regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their organization has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan Africanism.
“Further, ECOWAS under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.
“Indeed, the organization has not provided assistance to our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity, worse when these states decided to take their destiny into their hands, it adopted an irrational and unacceptable posture by imposing illegal, illegitimate, and irresponsible sanctions in violation of its own text all things which has further weakened populations already bruised by years of violence imposed by institutionalized remote-controlled terrorists’ hordes.
“Faced with this situation, their Excellences, Captain Ibrahim Traore, Colonel Assimi Golta and Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, respectively, Head of State of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger taking all their responsibilities in history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from Economic Community of West African States’ concluded the communique..
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