Captain Ibrahim Traore has been appointed
President of Burkina Faso since October of
2022. His fellow officers described him as being intelligent
and knowing Burkina Faso's geography and geology. This
information would come in handy for the terroristic attacks that Burkina
Faso has been faced with.
Colonel Assimi Goita has been appointed
President of Mali since May of 2021. He was confronted
with the jihadist insurgency in Mali. Therefore, having experience with one of Mali's more prominent and prioritized issue.
General Abdourahmane Tchiani, Nigerien military leader declared head of state July of 2023. He said in his televised speech, "We can no longer continue with the same approaches proposed so far, at the risk of witnessing the gradual and inevitable demise of our country. That is why we decided to intervene and take
responsibility."
What we do know about all three leaders is that they have military background and have what seems to be strong Pan Africanist views. All three presidents have participated in coups for the betterment of their respective countries (assumptions made based on their actions). The history of these countries does not commence with the overthrowing of their predecessors, nor does it end with them wanting to leave ECOWAS.
ECOWAS stands for Economic Community of West African states that has been established in 1975 with the goal of promoting economic integration in West Africa. The member countries of ECOWAS are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo13. ECOWAS has grown to become the region’s top political authority, often collaborating with states to solve domestic challenges on various fronts from politics to economy and security.
This picture displays the countries that are a part of ECOWAS. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger released a joint statement on their national television channel that want to leave ECOWAS (it cannot be confirmed if they officially left because ECOWAS has stated that they have not received any formal notification about the withdrawal). Being that all three countries have been suspended from ECOWAS before this decision, leaving was a no brainer. Has a country ever left ECOWAS? Yes, Mauritania decided to leave ECOWAS in December of 2000.
Here are my thoughts as a Muslim Malian Woman...
I am surprised at peoples' surprise. Mali and Burkina Faso have removed French as the official language since 1960. What event took place for Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in 1960? Their "independence". Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger seem to be fighting for the obvious, liberation. The lack of economic and political prosperity in these countries needs to be contextualized.
The decision of these countries to leave ECOWAS could have significant implications for the region’s political and economic stability. ECOWAS was established in 1975 with the aim of promoting economic integration and cooperation among its member states. The exit of these countries from the bloc could lead to a weakening of the regional body and a loss of confidence in its ability to address the challenges facing the region.
However, it is salient to epistle that the decision of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leaving ECOWAS is an unrestricted one. They have cited in their joint statement that ECOWAS has "drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism as the primary reason for their departure. Their decision should be respected. Who said fighting for liberation would be easy?
In conclusion, while the exit of these countries from ECOWAS is a cause for concern, it is important to respect their decision and engage in constructive dialogue to address their concerns. The stability and prosperity of the region depend on the ability of its leaders to work together to address the challenges facing the region.
May victory be granted to those countries and all those fighting oppression in every shape and form that oppression comes in.
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