A Professor of Political Science and Worldwide Relations, Chrisland College, Babafemi Badejo, has criticized the suspension of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso by the Financial Group of West African States following the navy takeover within the three African nations that led to their determination to withdraw. from the regional bloc.
Badejo mentioned ECOWAS and the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Authorities ought to have adopted diplomatic methods to resolve the coup-related points as a substitute of issuing threats following the navy takeover in Niger.
The navy regimes within the three nations introduced their fast withdrawal from ECOWAS.
The leaders of the three Sahel nations issued an announcement on Sunday saying it was a “sovereign determination” to go away ECOWAS “at once.”
The three nations, at present underneath navy rule, mentioned they had been now not members of ECOWAS as a result of the regional physique had reportedly “moved away from the beliefs of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism.”
The regimes are combating jihadist violence and poverty and have maintained tense ties with ECOWAS since coups in Niger final July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
On July 26, 2023, democratically elected and constitutionally put in President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by navy leaders led by Basic Abdourahamane Tchiani.
On July 30, 2023, ECOWAS, led by Tinubu, determined to impose sanctions on the navy personnel in Niger who overthrew Bazoum's authorities.
Along with a one-week ultimatum to revive constitutional order and the suspension of economic transactions with Niger, ECOWAS issued the freeze on “all service transactions, together with vitality transactions.”
ECOWAS additionally determined to deploy troops to Niger after a gathering in Abuja in August 2023, following the navy management's refusal to revive democracy regardless of sanctions imposed on them and their associates by the sub-regional physique.
However throughout an interview on Come up TV on Tuesday, Badejo mentioned the federal authorities didn’t take into account all elements earlier than making its preliminary determination.
He mentioned: “I completely hope that the present authorities won’t roll again the efforts of those that began the ECOWAS challenge. I hope it might probably overcome the present drawback and make every little thing work wonderful.
“I really feel like there’s a drawback and it doesn't appear to me that we took all of the elements into consideration after we took the hassle that we initially did, the place we deserted diplomacy in favor of creating threats, after we're unsure of our personal skill to do this. to proceed such threats.
“International locations that make threats in worldwide relations comply with them up instantly, with out having to guess. In our scenario, we’ve got not executed a fairly good job by way of how we dealt with the coup in Niger, which led to the widespread purpose of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to wish to depart ECOWAS.”
Badejo added: “So there’s invariably a necessity for diplomacy slightly than robust speak. It appears to me that we’re nonetheless speaking robust, or higher but, we are attempting to play it each methods, as a result of the State Division's assertion was very good and leaves open the opportunity of dialogue.
“However yesterday there was one other assertion indicating that we’re closing our airspace to plane flying from Nigeria to Niger and vice versa. All these actions should not in our long-term or short-term pursuits.”
The federal authorities had mentioned on Monday it was open to cooperation with Burkina Faso, Mali and the Niger Republic, regardless of signaling their joint withdrawal from ECOWAS.
In an announcement signed by International Ministry Spokesperson Francisca Omayuli, the highest authorities mentioned Nigeria stands with ECOWAS “to emphasise due course of and shared dedication to safeguard the rights and welfare of all residents of Member States defend and strengthen.”
“Nigeria stays open to working with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger so that each one individuals within the area can proceed to benefit from the financial advantages and democratic values that ECOWAS espouses.
“Nigeria additional calls on the worldwide group to proceed to increase its help for ECOWAS and the imaginative and prescient of nearer cooperation, cooperation and integration.”
