2024-02-22 07:58:44
One of the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) called, on February 21, 2024, for the lifting of sanctions against West African countries led by military regimes resulting from coups. State, in the run-up to an extraordinary ECOWAS summit scheduled for February 24 in Abuja.
Published on: 02/22/2024 – 08:58
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« Jlaunches a sincere and solemn appeal from Abuja to the 15 current leaders of ECOWAS member states »: these are the words taken from the declaration, read this Wednesday, February 21, 2024, by General Yakubu Gowon. The former head of state of Nigeria, from 1966 to 1975, is the last living witness to the creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He was around the table in Lagos with 15 other heads of state of government in May 1975. At the time, this regional organization had 16 members with Mauritania.
Today, the West African organization is on the verge of explosion with the announced exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. So, a few days away from a new ECOWAS extraordinary summit in AbujaYakubu Gowon speaks directly to the 15 current leaders of the countries concerned and implores them to reconcile and rebuild ECOWAS together.
« Neither my generation nor current or future generations will forgive the breakup of our community »
Because, otherwise, History will judge them, according to him, as being the gravediggers of this institution: “ I call on all West African leaders to immediately consider implementing the following measures: lifting all sanctions imposed on Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger [quatre pays dirigés par des pouvoirs de transition, à l’issue de coups d’État militaires, Ndlr] ; withdrawal by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger of their opinion to leave ECOWAS; the participation of the 15 ECOWAS heads of state in a summit to discuss the future of the community, security and regional stability. »
Read alsoCédéao: the departure of Mali, Niger and Burkina comes after months of tension
Yakubu Gowon insists, in comments collected by our correspondent in Abuja, Moïse Gomis: “ ECOWAS is more than a coalition of states. Neither my generation, nor current or future generations, will understand or forgive the breakdown of our community. »
ECOWAS has been plunged into an unprecedented crisis since the announcement at the end of January by Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso of their withdrawal from the regional organization. The region has also been shaken recently by President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone presidential elections in Senegal. Decision annulled by the Senegalese Constitutional Council.
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