The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has categorically rejected the plan to create a federation between Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, three countries currently ruled by military juntas resulting from coups. ‘State.
This “federation will not happen (…) We are at 15 and we will remain so”, suggested the second vice-president of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sani Malam Chaibou, through a video recorded on February 10 and broadcast on the social networks.
Fifteen is the number of member countries of the West African organization created in 1975. The Nigerian Chaibou believes the initiative of the three States reveals « a problem of consultation, consultation and understanding ».
The project of a federation was first mentioned by the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla, during his visit to Mali at the end of January, during which he affirmed that the three countries « must imperatively move towards the federalism » to meet the aspirations of their peoples.
The idea of this federation was reiterated on February 9, during a mini-summit held in Ouagadougou by the heads of diplomacy of the three countries, Malian Abdoulaye Diop, Guinean Morissanda Kouyaté and Burkinabe Olivia Rouamba.
At this meeting placed « within the framework of political consultations on subjects of common interest », the head of the Burkinabe government recommended to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs concerned to « get to work » in order to « see how to achieve this desire of our people”.
The three countries cannot claim to lead their populations “without knowing their aspirations and without taking the risk to achieve them. We must necessarily move forward towards integration,” he insisted, also stressing the possibility of seeing other countries join the initiative.
For the head of the Burkinabè government, the first action to be taken within the framework of this federation should be the construction of the Ouagadougou-Bamako-Conakry railway.
Reacting to ECOWAS’s opposition to the project, Kyélem de Tambela said that the three countries « can live without ECOWAS » and that the regional organization « wants to prevent us from realizing ourselves, we will lead our way ».
Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso were suspended from the decision-making bodies of the regional organization following the putschs. Their leaders are calling for the lifting of these suspensions, both at the level of ECOWAS and within the African Union.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1048 of 15/02/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
