The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed concerns over the increasing instability in the region, attributing it to the recent military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. During the 51st Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray addressed the issue in his opening remarks.
The region has witnessed a series of coups, starting with Burkina Faso on January 23, 2022, followed by Mali on May 24, 2021, and most recently in the Niger Republic on July 26, 2023. These events have significantly impacted the security landscape, with President Touray acknowledging the ongoing challenges.
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In his statement, President Touray highlighted the uneven progress in implementing transition roadmaps and timetables for the restoration of constitutional order in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso. He pointed out that the security situation has deteriorated, further complicated by the attempted coup in Niger, which has shifted focus away from supporting transition processes.
The military coups, according to President Touray, are not only founded on “unsubstantiated narratives and unjustified reasons” but also contribute to the region’s growing insecurity. He emphasized the severity of the situation by revealing alarming statistics: from January 1 to October 23, 2023, in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger alone, approximately 4.8 million individuals are facing food scarcity, 2.4 million have been displaced internally, and nearly 9,000 educational institutions have been forced to shut down.