West Africa's regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, on Saturday said it was lifting some of the sanctions imposed on Niger after last year's military coup.
Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum was ousted in a military coup last July, prompting ECOWAS to impose sanctions.
The lifting of the sanctions followed long hours of deliberations by the regional leaders at an extraordinary summit on the political, peace, and security situation in the sub-region.
Following recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea, Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu - who is also head of ECOWAS – said: "We must re-examine our current approach to the quest for constitutional order in four of our member states."
Multiple crises
ECOWAS finds itself grappling with multiple crises, including the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from its membership. Additionally, Senegal is embroiled in a political crisis following President Macky Sall's decision to postpone the presidential elections.
The Alliance of Sahel States (ASS)
The military governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso forged the Alliance of Sahel States in September, signaling a departure from their reliance on French military presence and signaling a shift towards closer ties with Russia.
In mid-Feb, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Niger's military commander, hinted at the potential creation of a shared currency with Burkina Faso and Mali, aimed at breaking away from colonial legacies. The decision by Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali to withdraw from ECOWAS last week has stirred concern among hundreds of thousands of citizens, mainly traders, across the three nations.
The group ensures free movement for citizens across its fifteen member states, allowing them to travel visa-free and reside or work in any of these countries. However, following the military takeover in Niamey in late July 2023, which ousted Bazoum, ECOWAS imposed stringent economic and financial sanctions on Niger.
These measures included the suspension of financial transactions, border closures, and the freezing of state assets.
Lifting Sanctions
Efforts to broker dialogue between the new military leadership in Niamey and West African nations have hit roadblocks since the coup. The military junta in Niamey remains firm on its stance of not releasing Bazoum, who, along with his wife, has been in detention since July 26.
ECOWAS has repeatedly demanded Bazoum's release as a condition for easing sanctions.
However, there was a notable development in early January when the new regime agreed to release Salem Bazoum, the son of the former president, and transfer him to Togo.
The most recent gathering of ECOWAS members convened on February 9, issuing a call for reconciliation with the military administrations in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
The Nigerian President urged West African leaders to consider the "lifting of all sanctions that have been imposed on Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, and Niger." He called on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to rethink their decision.
