French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly pressuring Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to use his position as chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) to delay the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the bloc. This move, described by critics as an attempt to preserve France’s neo-colonial influence in West Africa, comes as ECOWAS prepares for a crucial summit on December 15 in Abuja, where the withdrawal will dominate discussions at what is billed to be a closed-door summit. Aso Rock sources told Huhuonline.com on conditions of anonymity that Macron warned Tinubu in a telephone conversation that a fractured ECOWAS would weaken Nigeria’s leadership in Africa, particularly as Abuja lobbies for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. Macron also emphasized that unity is crucial for ECOWAS’s ability to effectively tackle issues like trade and terrorism.
In January, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, announced their intention to quit ECOWAS and form the Alliance of Sahel States (ASS). While their exit is slated for final ratification on January 29, 2025, the decision has yet to be formally acknowledged, and recorded. ECOWAS leaders are expected to do so on December 15, but remain divided over the issue, which has sparked debates on its implications for regional integration, sovereignty, and cooperation. Opinions within ECOWAS are divided. Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara and ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray advocate delaying the formal recognition of the Sahel states exit. Ouattara is arguing that the final departure of the three countries, should not be made official during the Abuja summit, insisting on maintaining the status quo in order to facilitate their possible future reintegration into ECOWAS. His position is echoed by Senegal’s president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is still hoping to convince the three juntas to reconsider their decision, but has made little progress. In May, President Faye traveled to Bamako and Ouagadougou, unsuccessfully urging the juntas to stay. He also appointed Abdoulaye Bathily, a former UN envoy, as mediator, but Bathily’s October visits to the Sahel states yielded nothing.
Meanwhile, Tinubu and Ghana’s Nana Akufo-Addo, who will be leaving office in the coming days, support confirming their departure. Aso Rock sources told Huhuonline.com that Tinubu is angry that despite his initial diplomatic efforts to engage with the Sahel state leaders, including outreach by Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar, the Sahel states have rebuffed overtures to remain in ECOWAS. Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé Eyadema remains one of the few ECOWAS leaders with strong ties to the Sahel states, but he has expressed skepticism about their return.
Critics accuse France of paternalism, with some Nigerian officials arguing that the bloc must respect the sovereignty of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The Sahel nations claim their new framework will better address regional security and governance challenges. These nations have clashed with ECOWAS over sanctions following their military takeovers and their exit is seen as a step to escape policies perceived as externally imposed. Despite all the French pressure and back-channel diplomacy, efforts to reverse the withdrawal have largely failed. One Nigerian diplomat at the UN permanent mission, who elected anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter told Huhuonline.com that Macron’s pressure on Tinubu will backfire. “Paris appears to be using Nigerian leadership and diplomatic levers to force a reversal of the decision by these Sahel states, but such actions are not only paternalistic but counterproductive, as they help to stoke anti-French sentiments across Africa.
