Sahel : ECOWAS Should Focus On Dialogue Rather Than Balance Of Power With AES States
During a meeting on the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the institution, Anna Evstigneïeva, questioned the ECOWAS about its position on the Sahel.
The Russian diplomat calls on the West African « union of Heads of State » to reconsider the power dynamics it maintains with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These countries have committed to regaining their territorial integrity and full sovereignty.
Instead of adopting a stance of strength, ECOWAS should take a step back and engage in dialogue with the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that have experienced sociopolitical upheavals compounded by terrorism.
The diplomat acknowledged that the path of comprehensive integration chosen by these countries to combat terrorism is a responsible and beneficial decision for the region. The institution should rather support these countries in finding effective solutions against the expanding threat that also jeopardizes coastal countries.
This rekindles the debate on the establishment of a West African military force to combat terrorists in the Sahel, in particular, and West Africa in general. At ECOWAS, instead of creating a force to aggress a sovereign state, efforts should be directed towards a more useful goal. Terrorism is practically at the doorstep of other West African countries, despite what is being said.
« The border regions of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, located in the Liptako-Gourma triangle, remain a hotspot. Extremists such as ISIS in the Greater Sahara and Al-Qaeda are active and increasingly threatening sub-Saharan countries », noted diplomat Anna Evstigneïeva.
