How Lent, Ramadan Freed Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali From ECOWAS Sanctions

Religious observations like Lent and the Ramadan also have their socio-economic advantages, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has shown.

This reality emerged from an extra-ordinary meeting of the commission which held in Abuja yesterday.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, the two observances were part of the reasons the sub-regional body, lifted sanctions it slammed on  Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali.

He said another reason for freeing the three countries was the bid to maintain regional unity and security.

Dr Touray, who spoke at the end of the extraordinary session of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS yesterday, said the regional body considered the impact the sanctions would have on the citizens of those countries in view of Lent, and the approaching Ramadan season, in addition to pleas from influential Nigerians.

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“The authority takes note that the withdrawal will have political, social, socio-economic, financial, and institutional implications for the three countries as well as for ECOWAS as a region.

“The authority recalls that within the framework of regional cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime, the three countries benefited from about 100 million US dollars mobilised by UMR within the context of the ECOWAS plan of action against terrorism.

“Moreover, some funds allocation, about 7.5 million US dollars is being made towards supporting the three countries in acquiring the equipment to help their fight against terrorism.

“The withdrawal will affect security cooperation in terms of sharing intelligence and participation in regional counterterrorism initiatives”, he said

According to him, the withdrawal of the countries from ECOWAS would lead to diplomatic and political isolation on the international scene where the countries have obtained support for their candidates in the contest for international positions.

“The authority recognises that the withdrawal will automatically affect the immigration status of the citizens, as they may be required to obtain visas to travel around the region.

“Citizens may no longer be able to reside or set up businesses under ECOWAS arrangement and may be subject to diverse national laws.

The three countries will cease to use ECOWAS passports across biometric national identity cards, and the brown card vehicle insurance.

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“The authority recognises that the three-member states represent 17.4 per cent of the region’s 425 million population.

Even though they represent 10 per cent of the region’s GDP, their departure will constitute a reduction in the market size of ECOWAS.

Even the Regional Food Security Researve initiative of the community would have been negatively impacted, the scribe said.

“The regional support programme for powerful pastoralism in the Sahel, which is being funded by the World Bank to the tune of 215 million US dollars is also a project that benefits the three countries.

“The three countries also benefit from the Sahel regional irrigation support programme, which is being funded by the World Bank to the tune of 103 million US dollars.

“The three regional food systems resilient support programme in the amount of 230 million, funded by the World Bank is also benefiting the three countries.

“West African single identity and regional integration and inclusion project is another programme that the three countries benefit from.”

He said that other projects the countries benefit from are the ECOWAS regional electricity market, and the West African Power Pool project, which links member states to a regional electricity grid for improved access to electricity.