The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for a delay in the planned withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, originally scheduled for January 2025.
This request will be discussed at the upcoming ECOWAS Heads of State Conference, set to take place on December 15 in Abuja.
During a session, the ECOWAS Parliament approved the community’s consolidated budget for 2025, while also urging an extension of the withdrawal deadline for the three countries.
This proposal will be presented to the heads of state and government for their approval in Abuja.
The Parliament has recommended an “extraordinary measure” to push back the deadline, allowing for more time for discussions and negotiations aimed at preserving the unity and integrity of the organization.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, appointed by ECOWAS to lead the negotiations with the three countries, recently stated at the Doha Forum that the talks were progressing positively.
Therefore, the proposed extension is seen as a way to build on these gains.
This issue is expected to dominate the agenda in Abuja, alongside the approval of various ECOWAS institutional budgets, including that of the Parliament.
In January 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS, accusing the regional body of being manipulated by France.
These three countries, signatories of the Liptako-Gourma Charter which led to the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States in September 2023, transitioned to a confederation status in July 2024.
