AFRICA

ECOWAS Softens Stance on Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, Advocates Reconciliation

The Economic Community of West African States  (ECOWAS) has called on Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso who recently announced their withdrawal from the subregional bloc to have a rethink and follow the path of dialogue and reconciliation.

The Chairman of the Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial Level and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar while insisting that the choice of the three countries would only hurt the people, when responding to questions at the end of the sub-region extra ordinary session of the Council.

Tuggar regretted that the decision of the three Sahelian countries under military rule would only add to  increase  hardship to their citizens, insisting that the path of
diplomacy and dialogue remains the only route out of the quagmire.

He said: “ECOWAS is for the citizens, that is why it is called the economic community. So there’s emphasis on community. And for that reason, ECOWAS maintains the path, the avenue of dialogue, of conciliation of diplomacy and that is what has further been reaffirmed here.

“And for us, is quite cognizant of the fact that this intention of the three countries namely Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to exit ECOWAS would bring more hardship and will do more harm to the common citizens of those three countries.

“That is not good, and that is why we continue to urge those three countries to remain and follow the path of dialogue and reconciliation. And ECOWAS is going to redouble its efforts towards diplomacy, towards dialogue, towards reconciliation.”

Tuggar on the implication of the decisions of the three countries to the integration process, said it was just a hiccup to the integration process of the continent, stressing that: “It’s not enough to just think that because of this development, that’s it. It means integration has been derailed, far from it.

“This is just a minor hiccup. And we’re talking about 54 countries and even with this hiccup the integration has already started and ECOWAS gone further than a lot of other parts of Africa in terms of integration. So the number of citizens from the three countries living in the rest of ECOWAS (countries), even in this building (ECOWAS headquarters) the number of people from those countries that work in ECOWAS not to talk of the continuous movement of people. The seasonal migration which takes place across the region, these are all things that you cannot just undo overnight, so you know, it takes more than pronouncements.”

He added that: “ECOWAS continues to emphasise good governance, strengthening institutions, and one of the decisions taken here was on the issue of the ECOWAS standby force to combat terrorism, the need to put it, activated as quickly as possible. As you know, the issue of terrorism presents an existential threat to all the countries in the community, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. And it’s important to also bear in mind that ECOWAS in spite of the sanctions, has continued, during the course of this period, to render support in different forms to these countries when it comes to the issue of fighting terrorism.”

On his part, President of ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray while responding to the allegation that
ECOWAS has deviated from.the tenets of its founding fathers,said: “We have moved to ECOWAS of the people and people are asking for accountable governments, democratic governance. ECOWAS needs to reflect the aspirations of the people.

“ECOWAS is alive to the demands of the population. And I think we all agree, each and every one of us aspire to have accountable government, governments chosen by people.

“And this is why ECOWAS has revised its various instruments to reflect those demands and reflected the aspiration of the people.

” I don’t think it is the will of the people of ECOWAS to move away from democratic principles, to move away from transparency, to move away from popular participation in governance. This is what ECOWAS stands for. And we will continue to work with each and every member state of ECOWAS to promote those ideas.”

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Follow us on:

AriseNews

View Comments

  • get a car of your choice at a minimum price E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION Some Auction Vehicles/Cars For Sale
    Mama Africa #17,000 •Tomatoes Rice # *15,000* •Cap Rice #15,000 •My Food #17,000 •Mama Gold #17,500 •Ade Brazil #15,000 •Elephant Gold #15,000 •Royal Umbrella #15,000 Etc.
    Golf3= 500,000.
    Camry Tinny-Light=500,000.
    Tundra 1,300,000
    Toyota Exterra=850,000
    Toyota Camry big daddy=650,000
    Toyota Venza= 1.7million
    Toyota Avalon=850,000
    Toyota Rav4=950,000
    Toyota Prado=1.3million
    TOYOTA HILUX=2million
    Toyota Sienna=850,000
    TOYOTA 4-RUNNER=950,000
    Toyota Corolla=650,000
    Toyota Matrix= 700,000
    Toyota Highlander=950,000
    Toyota Picnic=500,000
    Tacoma 1.850,000
    Toyota Hiace Bus=950,000
    Toyota Tundra=1.5million
    Toyota Sequola=900,000
    BMW 5-series=1.960,000
    BMW 3-series=1.640,000
    BMW X6=2.670,000
    Ford Edge=700,000
    Ford Escape=600,000
    Honda Elantra=600,000
    Honda Baby-Boy=700,000
    Dyna Truck 900k
    TIPPER Head 6mill

    Honda Accord=550,000
    Honda CRV=650,000
    HONDA CIVIC=500,000
    HONDA EVIL-SPIRIT=750,000
    HONDA ODYSSEY=500,000
    Honda Pilot=850,000
    Nissan pathfinder=800,000
    Nissan Amanda=750,000
    Infinity=950,000
    Benz C250=N1.300,000
    Benz C300=1.6MILLION
    Benz ML350=2 million
    Benz ML300=1.5 million
    Benz ML550=2.6million
    Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.3Million
    Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.8Million
    Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.Million
    Es330 1.6
    Lexus C5 350=950,000
    IS250 1m
    Lexus Rx300=1.2 million
    Lexus Rx330=1.5 million
    Is350 2mill
    Gx470 1.8mill
    Lexus Rx350= 2 million
    ES350 2mill
    Land Rover Discovery ₦3.2Million
    Land Rover Freelander ₦3.6Million
    Land Range Rover Sport ₦4Million
    Acura MDX ₦1.8Million
    Pequot 206=350,000
    Pequot 406=470,000
    Pequot 607=650,000
    .....
    ((08166185400) (+234_915__6089_111)

Recent Posts

Seyi Tinubu Greeted By Military +Tinubu’s Convoy In Lagos+ 70 Nigerians Die In Stampede – Trending With Ojy Okpe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2gUXfbzwmk More than 70 Nigerians have died in stampedes at three different locations: Ibadan, Anambra,…

25 minutes ago

Anglican Primate: Nigerians Should Spend Wisely During Christmas

The Anglican Primate has called on Nigerians to spend wisely this Christmas, focus on love,…

57 minutes ago

Human Rights Group Raises Alarm Over 3,000 Leprosy Patients Left Without Access To Drugs

IDEA-Nigeria has urged President Tinubu to intervene in resolving the prolonged delay of Multi-Drug Therapy…

1 hour ago

Governor Oyebanji Optimistic About A Brighter Future For Ekiti As Pastor Adeboye Visits Ilogbo

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has assured a brighter future for the state following Pastor…

1 hour ago

Tinubu’s Maiden Presidential Media Chat Holds Monday Night

President Tinubu is set to hold first Presidential Media Chat that will air by 9pm…

1 hour ago

Anambra Lacks Regulatory Framework For Crowd Control, Says Information Commissioner Law Mefor

Anambra lacks formal crowd control law but is working on a regulatory framework, says state…

7 hours ago