A former head of state of Nigeria and a founding member of the Economic Community of West African States Dr. Yakubu Gowon. Has appealed to the Authority of heads of state and government to immediately lift all sanctions that have been imposed on Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger.
The former President in an open letter dated February 13, 2024 to all Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS Member states also called on leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw their notices to leave ECOWAS.
Finally, he called on all Heads of States and Government, and leaders of all 15 ECOWAS states to participate in a summit to discuss the future of the community, regional security and stability, as well as the role of the international community given the current geopolitical context.
He affirmed that the regional bloc since its inception the regional bloc has made a number of major accomplishment, including trade liberalisation, right of West Africans to live legitimately in any country within the Community, as well as successful peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
ECOWAS, despite its shortcomings, has become an example of regional integration for the wider continent.
As such, it is therefore disheartening that ECOWAS is threatened with disunity following the announcement of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, that remain important to the bloc to want to leave. Read below the full open letter to all Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
Source: Kwaku Sakyi-Danso