By Gloria Ikibah
President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Omar Touray, has expressed disappointment over the continued absence of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the regional bloc.
Touray stated this at during the opening ceremony of the 92nd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers on Thursday in Abuja, highlighting the persistent efforts of ECOWAS to engage with these countries, but that their responses have remained unyielding.
Naijablitznews.com reports that after several attempts ECOWAS has not been able to convince the three nations to reconsider their decision to withdraw from thebloc.
Following the announcements by the military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in January 2024 to leave ECOWAS, the organisation has attempted to facilitate their return.
These efforts included lifting some sanctions and extending invitations to technical meetings. However, these attempts have yet to yield the desired outcome.
Touray reiterated his regret over the inability to reverse the withdrawal decisions of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
He also called on member states to increase their financial contributions to operationalize the ECOWAS counter-terrorism force and support the action plan to combat terrorism.
This initiative aims to bolster the region’s security framework, which has been compromised by political instability and other challenges.