ECOWAS Strengthens Diplomatic Efforts to Prevent Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso Exits

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament is intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from exiting the regional bloc. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, confirmed that the ECOWAS Parliament is deploying parliamentary diplomacy to engage the three nations, emphasizing the importance of maintaining unity within ECOWAS. Speaking in an interview on Saturday, August 17, 2024, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Kalu, who chairs the parliament’s Joint Committee on Administration, Finance, Budget, Public Accounts, Macroeconomic Policy, and Economic Research, assured that letters had been sent to the governments of the concerned nations. He also mentioned that visits by parliamentary representatives would soon follow, expressing confidence that dialogue would lead to the reintegration of these countries into the regional body. “There are already mechanisms in place, through what is called parliamentary diplomacy, to reach out to them. Letters have been sent, and very soon, some of us will start visiting those countries to engage the heads of government. We will open up the doors for them to come back to the family; We need them. We will tell them, for instance, that, granted, maybe they were offended by one or two things, but let us sit down again and discuss,” Kalu stressed.

He also noted that, even in the worst-case scenario where the three countries proceed with their exit, ECOWAS’s financial stability would remain intact. Kalu highlighted the organisation’s multiple revenue streams, including the Community Levy and contributions from development agencies, ensuring that ECOWAS remains financially robust. “There are many other sources. So, we want to make sure that we streamline it and know where monies are coming from. If these are not enough, we will increase because there are so many development agencies, there are so many people who are interested in the sub-region. There are multiple ways of raising funds for the parliament, as well as the community,” he explained. Beyond addressing the potential exits, the ECOWAS Parliament is also pushing for reforms to strengthen legislative independence. Kalu, who chairs Nigeria’s House of Representatives Constitutional Review Committee, emphasized the need to update the laws governing ECOWAS to reflect the evolving political landscape. The proposed amendments would bolster the separation of powers and enhance the institution’s credibility on the international stage.

“Rightly put, we need to amend the Supplementary Act. The protocols that brought the ECOWAS Commission and ECOWAS Parliament into existence need to be overhauled. This is because these laws are not cast in stone; Indeed, no law is cast in stone,” Kalu added. Since January 28, 2024, when the military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS, the regional body has been attempting to negotiate their return through sanctions relief and invitations to technical meetings. However, these efforts have so far been met with silence.