Mahama to ECOWAS: Don’t isolate Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso

President John Dramani Mahama has urged renewed diplomatic efforts with the Alliance of Sahel States, after the departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The three countries, that comprise the Alliance of Sahel States, have identified issues with ECOWAS’s operations as their reason for exiting the bloc.However, in effort to promote unity, President Mahama issued an invitation to the breakaway nations to join the anniversary celebrations.

During the launch of ECOWAS’s 50th Anniversary in Accra on Tuesday, April 22, President Mahama viewed the departure of the three junta-led nations as a disappointing turn of events, but emphasized the need for communication over isolation.

President Mahama said that “The recent decision by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to withdraw from the ECOWAS is a regrettable development…we must respond not with isolation, recrimination, but with dialogue and the willing ability to listen and to engage.”

President Mahama stressed the belief that unity and collective efyare very important to promoting enduring peace and economic growth across West Africa.

“Since entering the presidency, I have given priority to diplomatic re-engagement with the Sahel region. Ghana has appointed a special representative to high level engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States. I have personally led missions to foster trust, revive communication and underscore our shared values.

He added that “These efforts affirms our believes that we have a shared destiny as a sub-region, and unity, however, difficult, remains the best part to shred prosperity and regional stability.”

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