By Kebba Ansu Manneh
The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has triggered a profound geopolitical shift, threatening the unity, stability, and achievements of the regional bloc, according to Hon. Veronica Kadie Seesay, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament. Speaking on April 28, 2025, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba International Conference Center in Banjul during the sixth legislative session of the ECOWAS Parliament, Seesay underscored the far-reaching implications of this unprecedented fracture.
The delocalized meeting at the conference center focused on the joint committees addressing political affairs, peace, security, legal matters, human rights, trade, customs, free movement, social affairs, gender, and disability issues. The withdrawal of the three Sahel states, effective since January 2025, dominated discussions, with parliamentarians grappling with its impact on the region’s political, economic, and humanitarian landscape.
“For nearly five decades, ECOWAS has stood as a pillar of regional integration, fostering peace, security, economic cooperation, and social development,” Seesay said. “The departure of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger disrupts the institutional framework designed to enhance collective security, trade facilitation, and human development. It calls into question the efficacy of our mechanisms for conflict resolution, economic policy harmonization, and protecting fundamental human rights.”
Seesay emphasized that the Banjul convergence would adopt a rigorous, evidence-based approach to assessing the withdrawal’s structural, legal, and socio-economic ramifications. She urged parliamentarians to objectively evaluate the challenges and propose solutions to preserve ECOWAS’s legacy.
Hon. Billay Tunkara, Majority Leader of Gambia’s National Assembly and Fourth Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, described the withdrawal as an “unprecedented fracture” that threatens the future of the region’s 400 million citizens. “Politically, ECOWAS loses 20% of its members, weakening our voice on the international stage and risking further erosion of confidence in our community project,” Tunkara said. He warned that the departure could undermine ECOWAS’s credibility as a model of African integration.
Tunkara highlighted the withdrawal’s multifaceted impact, particularly in security, socio-economic, and humanitarian domains. “The countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) are key players in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel,” he noted. “Their withdrawal complicates intelligence sharing and joint operations while terrorist groups continue to threaten our populations.” He also pointed to the reinstatement of strict border controls, which jeopardize the sacred principle of free movement, disrupt trade, and hamper cross-border infrastructure projects and humanitarian aid.
The withdrawal’s socio-economic consequences are equally dire, with risks of forced migrations, increased unemployment, and an exacerbated food crisis. Humanitarian access to vulnerable populations in the AES countries could be restricted, worsening suffering and potentially fueling new cycles of violence and territorial disputes.
Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Speaker of Gambia’s National Assembly, expressed gratitude to the ECOWAS Parliament for deciding to hold the convergence in The Gambia. He described the withdrawal as the most significant crisis in West Africa’s regional integration since ECOWAS’s founding in 1975, surpassing even Mauritania’s exit in 2000. “This rupture demands frank and uncomfortable discussions on sustaining the ideals of ECOWAS, anchored in democracy, good governance, rule of law, and economic viability,” Jatta said.
Despite the setback, Jatta commended ECOWAS’s pragmatic response, which includes transitional arrangements to preserve privileges for citizens of the withdrawing states, such as recognition of ECOWAS-branded documents, trade benefits, visa-free movement, and support for ECOWAS officials from these nations. “These measures demonstrate a commitment to building bridges for cooperation,” he noted.
The Banjul meeting underscored ECOWAS’s resilience in the face of challenges. For over five decades, the bloc has transformed obstacles into opportunities, fostering free movement, integrated markets, and relative peace. However, the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger poses a formidable test of its unity and adaptability.
As parliamentarians deliberate, the region watches closely. The outcome of these discussions will shape ECOWAS’s future and the broader trajectory of African integration. With 400 million citizens at stake, the urgency to address this crisis and reaffirm the bloc’s founding principles has never been greater.
