West African leaders convene in Freetown amid AES absence

The 69th summit of ECOWAS is underway in Freetown, Sierra Leone, marking a critical juncture for the regional body. As ECOWAS convenes this Sunday, it does so without three significant members: Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, who have chosen to align themselves within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The future of the organization and its ongoing efforts to rebuild its standing will undoubtedly be central to discussions, alongside pressing regional security concerns.

Defining a future without Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso?

Beyond symbolic implications, West African leaders face a fundamental question: how to chart the course for ECOWAS following the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, now united under the Confederation of Sahel States?

Despite their exit from the organization, these three nations remain indispensable neighbors. Consequently, heads of state are expected to explore avenues for dialogue to safeguard vital commercial exchanges, ensure the free movement of people, and critically, bolster security cooperation against a cross-border terrorist threat impacting the Sahel region.

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

The standby force remains non-operational

While many topics of importance to West African populations are on the agenda, some perennial issues continue to resurface at each summit without resolution.

A prime example is the ECOWAS Standby Force. Despite being announced years ago, this regional force has yet to achieve full operational capability. It is envisioned as a rapid response mechanism to counter terrorism, political crises, and various threats to regional stability.

Preparatory meetings involving ministers and security officials held earlier this week in Freetown underscore the commitment of several member states to expedite its deployment.

Michel Ange Bangoura, a Guinean official responsible for cooperation with ECOWAS, stated, “Institutionally, everything is in order on paper for ECOWAS. The remaining challenge is securing the necessary resources for its deployment, establishing a headquarters, and ensuring each country contributes at least a company.”

When questioned 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 this force in the short term will be addressed. This includes at least its assembly in a designated country.”

The summit will also delve into institutional reforms for ECOWAS and the imperative to restore the organization’s credibility, which has been challenged by several years of political turmoil and coups d’état across the region.