Context:
The Junta (military rule) led countries in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have declared their abrupt withdrawal from the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
Junta-led Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to Withdraw from ECOWAS
- They accused the ECOWAS of “drifting from the principles set by its founding fathers and the essence of Pan-Africanism” under the influence of foreign powers.
- Battling with Insurgencies: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are grappling with escalating jihadist insurgencies and pervasive poverty, the regimes have strained ties with ECOWAS worsened following military coups that ousted democratically elected governments in Niger (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Mali (2020).
About ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)
- About: The Economic Community of West African States is a regional political and economic union comprising fifteen countries situated in West Africa.
- Goal: To facilitate “collective self-sufficiency” for member states by establishing a unified, integrated trading zone by creating a comprehensive economic and trading union and elevate the living standards of the region’s population.
- Origin: Established on May 28, 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its stated mission is to promote economic integration across the region.
- Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria.
- Members: The fifteen ECOWAS member countries include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Relations Between ECOWAS and India
- India has had an Observer Status in ECOWAS since 2004.
- India has presented itself as an effective dialogue partner of ECOWAS implementing a sub-regional program through Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
- It has endorsed India’s bid for a seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
- India has consistently provided Line of Credit (LOCs) as part of its Focus Africa program, supporting regional integration within The Economic Community of West African States.
- This initiative has created new avenues for Indian companies to participate in sectors like energy, telecommunications, and transportation in West Africa.
- India provided a “strategic opportunity” to encourage sustainable development to enable additional South-South cooperation.
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News Source: BBC
29 Jan 2024
