The 69th ECOWAS summit is underway in Freetown, Sierra Leone, marking a pivotal moment for the Economic Community of West African States. As ECOWAS convenes this Sunday, it does so without three key member nations: Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which have formed their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This significant division is expected to dominate discussions, as the organization seeks to revitalize its standing and confront pressing regional security challenges in the political Sahel.

a future for ECOWAS without Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso?

Beyond the symbolic implications, West African leaders face a fundamental question: how will ECOWAS redefine its future operations and identity following the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, now united under the Confederation of Sahel States?

Despite their withdrawal from the organization, these three nations remain indispensable neighbors within West Africa. Heads of state are therefore expected to explore avenues for dialogue, aiming to safeguard crucial elements such as commercial exchanges, the free movement of people, and, critically, collaborative security efforts against a persistent terrorist threat that transcends national borders across the Sahel region.

Aliou Diakite, an expert on ECOWAS affairs, underscores the immense stakes. He emphasizes the necessity to “discuss the future of ECOWAS and the governance and security issues currently facing the ECOWAS space, given organized crime linked to terrorism, political shifts in elections, climate change, epidemics, and pandemics. These are the critical concerns prompting heads of state and government to deliberate on ECOWAS’s trajectory for the coming years.”

the standby force remains unoperational

Many topics of vital interest to West African populations are on the agenda, yet some have lingered from one summit to the next.

A prime example is the ECOWAS Standby Force. Announced years ago but never fully operational, this regional force is envisioned as a rapid response mechanism against terrorism, political crises, and threats to regional stability in West Africa. Preparatory meetings held by ministers and security officials in Freetown this week signal a renewed commitment from several states to expedite its deployment.

Michel Ange Bangoura, a Guinean official responsible for cooperation with ECOWAS, states, “On paper, all institutional aspects of ECOWAS are in order. The challenge lies in securing the necessary resources for its deployment, establishing its headquarters, and ensuring each country contributes at least one company.”

When asked about a projected timeline for the force’s implementation, Michel Ange Bangoura responded, “I believe that during our current discussions at this session, the deployment of said force in the near future will be a key point, even if it’s just the initial grouping in a chosen country.”

The summit is also tasked with addressing ECOWAS’s institutional reforms and the urgent need to rebuild the organization’s credibility following several years of political turmoil and coups d’état across the region.