Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar
Abuja, Nigeria, June 18
In a notable diplomatic gesture, Nigeria has reached out to an unlikely group of guests for next week’s economic summit. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, the three states now grouped under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), walked away from ECOWAS earlier this year over sanctions disputes and accusations of foreign meddling. Now Abuja wants them at the table.
The June 20 to 21 meeting intends to rebuild economic bridges across West Africa’s political divides. While announcing the development during a press briefing in Abuja, Niger’s minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, noted that exiting ECOWAS does not mean the three nations are no longer West African countries. He pointed to ongoing projects like Nigeria’s border commissions with Niger as proof that cooperation does not require membership cards.
Reactions split immediately. Some pundits see a chance to mend fences. Others question Nigeria’s intentions. Several commentators float theories about hidden agendas, though no evidence supports them. Meanwhile, business leaders emphasise what is at stake, a region battling militants and food shortages can not afford broken supply chains.
The Sahel’s crises continue unabated. The United Nations (UN) estimates 150,000 Malians have fled to Mauritania since the insurgency started in the country. While ECOWAS has loosened some sanctions, no one knows if AES generals will accept this olive branch. For now, it is simply Nigeria’s gamble that commerce might succeed where politics failed.
