Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali’s Exit From Ecowas Created Regional Crisis – Presidency

**Presidency: Withdrawal of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali from ECOWAS Created Regional Crisis**

**ABUJA** – The Nigerian Presidency stated on Thursday that the withdrawal of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has significantly undermined regional integration and cooperation.

Speaking at a policy colloquium titled “Securing the sovereign frontiers” in Abuja, Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, noted that the departure of these nations disrupted established protocols regarding the free movement of goods and services.

“The rupture that came when the countries pulled out of ECOWAS created a major regional crisis,” Dare said. “That pullout from ECOWAS simply blunted the ECOWAS protocol that promoted integration, free movement of goods and services. It eventually led to the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), another counter-regional body to ECOWAS. But it also challenged the other instruments and protocols that we have for regional cooperation.”

During the event, Dare addressed recent political discourse regarding the status of Nigeria’s borders. He dismissed claims that the country’s borders are closed, asserting that the government maintains a distinction between open borders and uncontrolled ones.

“The Interior Minister has stated the facts. Nigeria’s borders are open,” Dare said. “There are no open borders without controls. So you must understand there is a distinction. Immigration, customs, and other security agencies remain responsible for regulating movements across the country’s borders.”

Dare further cautioned against the politicization of border management, stating that issues concerning national security should not be used to “score cheap political points.” He emphasized that effective border management is essential for both economic integration and regional stability.

Also speaking at the colloquium, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), highlighted the Tinubu administration’s focus on national security. He stated that the government is committed to strengthening defense capabilities and modernizing the military to protect Nigeria’s sovereignty and democratic institutions.

“This strategic direction recognizes that a secure and stable Nigeria is essential to the protection of our sovereignty, the preservation of our democratic institutions, and the advancement of national development,” Musa said.

The colloquium, organized to bring together defense strategists, policymakers, and civil society leaders, aimed to develop actionable pathways for national resilience and security policy.

Article source: allafrica.com | Image credit: France 24