President John Mahama, who is acting as a mediator, has briefed ECOWAS Chairman, President Bola Tinubu, on his recent visits to Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Mahama emphasized that ECOWAS remains committed to dialogue with the AES despite the complexities of the situation. He acknowledged the challenge of the talks, stating, “It’s a complicated situation, and it’s not as easy as we think. We just need to continue to dialogue and see how we can continue to dialogue together.”
President Tinubu reiterated that the welfare of citizens must be the paramount concern in all efforts to rebuild relations with the estranged nations. “The citizens must be the first beneficiary and the first point of reasoning together,” he stated.
Tinubu praised Mahama’s efforts in bridging the communication gap between ECOWAS and the AES. This comes as ECOWAS observes the six-month transition period, ending July 29, 2025, for the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, as decided during the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Touray, clarified that the transition period allows the withdrawing states to settle their financial and legal obligations to ECOWAS. The bloc has also extended the mandates of Presidents Bassirou Faye (Senegal) and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo) to continue mediation efforts.
Previously, during talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Tinubu affirmed Nigeria’s openness to diplomatic solutions, prioritizing citizen welfare over the actions of the military regimes in the AES countries.
