Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara and Ghanaian leader John Dramani Mahama urged Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to reconsider their decision to leave the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), emphasising the need for regional unity.
The three military-led governments, which seized power through coups between 2020 and 2023, officially exited ECOWAS in January 2024, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). They accused the regional bloc of failing to assist them in their fight against terrorism and violence and of being overly aligned with France.
Mahama, who visited Abidjan on Wednesday, offered to mediate between ECOWAS and AES, stressing that West Africa’s future depends on collaboration.
Ouattara echoed the sentiment, expressing hope that the appeal would bring the three nations back into ECOWAS.
Despite previous mediation efforts by Togo and Senegal, the juntas maintain that their exit is irreversible.
However, Mahama announced plans to visit the three countries soon, emphasising that “there’s more that unites us than divides us.”
