Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, will continue its engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger after their membership withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This was disclosed in a statement by a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Francisca Omayuli, on Monday.
The disclosure was made as the Federal Government of Nigeria issued its displeasure and sadness following the pronouncement of the military authority in the three countries to quit ECOWAS.
“For half a century, ECOWAS has worked to promote peace, prosperity, and democracy in the region. Nigeria stands with ECOWAS to emphasise due process and shared commitment to protect and strengthen the rights and welfare of all citizens of Member States,” the statement partly read.
“Nigeria has worked sincerely and in good faith to reach out to all members of the ECOWAS family to resolve the difficulties being faced. It is now clear that those seeking to quit the Community do not share that same good faith.
“Instead, unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade, and freedom to choose their own leaders.
“Nigeria remains open for engagement with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger so that all the people of the region can continue to enjoy the economic benefits and democratic values that ECOWAS embraces.”
On Sunday, the leaders of the three Sahel nations released a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the ECOWAS “without delay”.
The regimes have had a strained relationship with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
They were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.