The 69th ECOWAS summit is underway in Freetown, Sierra Leone, marking a critical juncture for the West African regional body. As ECOWAS convenes this Sunday, it does so missing three key member states: Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which have formed their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The absence of these nations and the broader implications for the organization’s image are expected to be central to discussions, alongside pressing regional security challenges.

Charting a future for ECOWAS without Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso

Beyond the symbolic implications, West African leaders face a pivotal question: how will ECOWAS redefine its future trajectory following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, now united under the Alliance of Sahel States?

Despite their departure from the organization, these three nations remain indispensable neighbors. Heads of state are anticipated to explore avenues for dialogue, aiming to safeguard crucial aspects such as commercial exchanges, the free movement of people, and critically, security cooperation against a cross-border terrorist threat.

According to Aliou Diakite, an expert on ECOWAS affairs, the stakes are exceptionally high. He emphasizes the necessity “to deliberate on the future of ECOWAS and the critical governance and security issues currently confronting the ECOWAS region. These include organized crime linked to terrorism, political transitions during elections, climate change, and the prevalence of epidemics and pandemics. These are the pressing concerns compelling heads of state and government to discuss the organization’s future course in the years ahead.”

ECOWAS standby force: still awaiting full operational status

Numerous issues of significant concern to West African populations are on the agenda, yet some have lingered unresolved across multiple summits.

A prominent example is the ECOWAS Standby Force. Despite being announced years ago, this regional force has yet to become fully operational. It is envisioned as a rapid response mechanism to counter terrorism, political crises, and other threats to regional stability.

Preparatory meetings involving ministers and security officials earlier this week in Freetown underscored the determination of several member states to expedite its implementation.

Michel Ange Bangoura, a Guinean official overseeing cooperation with ECOWAS, observed, “Institutionally, everything is in place on paper within ECOWAS. The remaining challenge is securing the necessary resources for its deployment, establishing its headquarters, and ensuring each country contributes at least one company of troops.”

When questioned about a projected timeline for the force’s establishment, Michel Ange Bangoura responded, “I believe that during our ongoing discussions at this session, the deployment of this force in the short term will be a key topic. This includes at least its assembly in a designated host country.”

The summit is also tasked with addressing institutional reforms within ECOWAS and the imperative to restore the organization’s credibility, which has been challenged by several years of political crises and coups d’état across the region.