President John Mahama has described the decision by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as regrettable.
The President was speaking at the launch of the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
He emphasised the need for continued dialogue among the leaders of the three countries despite their withdrawal.
“Diplomacy is about fostering mutual respect and advancing our common interests,” he added.
The three countries, all under military rule, have officially exited ECOWAS after more than a year of diplomatic tensions.
Relations between ECOWAS and the trio have remained strained since military takeovers occurred in Mali in 2020, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023.
Following the coup in Niger, ECOWAS imposed severe sanctions on the country, including border closures, a no-fly zone for all commercial flights, and the freezing of central bank assets.
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