ECOWAS Faces Integration Crisis, Seeks Unity to Address Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Withdrawals

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is grappling with significant integration challenges, exacerbated by the 2024 withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, as highlighted by Commission President Dr. Omar Touray during the 37th ordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Administration and Finance Committee (AFC) on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Abuja. Represented by Vice President Mrs. Damtien Tchintchibidja, Touray described the bloc as facing an “existential crisis” and emphasized the need for unity, solidarity, and fraternity to preserve 50 years of regional integration gains. The AFC meeting, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), evaluated the mid-term implementation of ECOWAS programs, financial difficulties, and institutional reforms, while addressing the impact of the Sahel states’ exit and staffing gaps.

Touray announced plans for a summit on ECOWAS’s future, preceded by consultations with youth and women, to drive institutional, political, and security reforms. He stressed that the organization’s strength lies in collective commitment to a prosperous, stable region, noting, “ECOWAS is in all of us.” The withdrawal of the three Sahel nations, who formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and severed ties after ECOWAS sanctions following their 2020–2022 coups, has reduced community levy revenue by 15%, per a 2024 ECOWAS report, threatening financial stability. Commissioner for Internal Services Prof. Nazifi Darma urged member states to explore indigenous financing due to declining global aid, highlighting new communications infrastructure to modernize operations. AFC Chairman Amb. Olawale Awe called for decisive action to address staffing voids and levy shortfalls, warning against stagnation amid regional demands for progress.

The meeting, attended by ECOWAS commissioners, parliamentarians, Community Court representatives, and agency heads, underscored the bloc’s commitment to reform despite challenges like piracy (down 43% in 2024 per IMB), terrorism (2,500 deaths in Q1 2025 per ACLED), and economic disparities (GDP per capita ranging from $2,700 in Cabo Verde to $500 in Niger). Posts on X, such as from @Ecowas_cedeao and @GuardianNigeria, reflect mixed sentiments, with some praising ECOWAS’s resilience and others criticizing its handling of the Sahel crisis. Touray’s call for a reformed ECOWAS aligns with the 2020 Vision recast, aiming for deeper integration, but analysts note that reintegrating the AES states or mitigating their exit’s economic impact remains a formidable task.