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Chinese Ambassador Meets ECOWAS President, Reaffirms Beijing’s Support for West Africa
China has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with West Africa as Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Yu Dunhai, met with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, in Abuja on Thursday.
According to a statement from the Chinese embassy, the meeting underscored Beijing’s growing engagement with the regional bloc and outlined new avenues for partnership aimed at promoting development, stability, and integration across West Africa.
Ambassador Yu praised ECOWAS for its pivotal role over the past 50 years, noting that the organisation has become a cornerstone for regional cooperation, peacekeeping, democratic governance, and economic integration.
He described ECOWAS as one of Africa’s most impactful regional institutions, whose work aligns with the broader aspirations of the continent.
Highlighting the depth of China–ECOWAS relations, Yu said the partnership stands as a notable example of South–South cooperation and a reflection of the longstanding friendship between China and African nations.
He cited the ECOWAS headquarters building, constructed with Chinese support, as a visible symbol of the collaboration.
Yu also referenced China’s current national development direction, noting that the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan reaffirm Beijing’s readiness to share development opportunities globally.
As part of this agenda, he said China is prepared to accelerate zero-tariff measures for African countries, a policy expected to open new economic opportunities for the West African region.
During the visit, the Ambassador presented a China-made official vehicle to President Touray, describing it as a gesture to support the Commission’s work.
President Touray, in response, thanked China for its continued assistance in strengthening ECOWAS’ institutional capacity and development programmes.
He commended China’s progress in various sectors and reiterated the bloc’s support for the four global initiatives proposed by Beijing.
Touray affirmed ECOWAS’ readiness to deepen cooperation with China, expressing optimism that both sides are poised to “open a new chapter” in an already robust partnership.
December 4, 2025
ECOWAS Role in Conflict Management and Resolution of the Malian Crisis
By Abdul Mahmoud Yayale
The protracted crisis in Mali has escalated into a stark referendum on the authority and efficacy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). What began in 2012 as a Tuareg separatist rebellion swiftly co-opted by jihadist forces has morphed into a complex stalemate defined by repeated military coups, ethnic strife, and a fundamental clash between a defiant junta and the regional bloc. This confrontation reached its dramatic climax in 2024 when Mali formally announced its withdrawal from ECOWAS. This move signifies a fragmentation of West African unity, a severe blow to collective security, and a victory for a new model of mercenary-backed authoritarianism in the Sahel.
To understand Mali’s dramatic unravelling, one must first examine the deep-seated governance failures that laid the groundwork for collapse. For decades, the state in Bamako functioned as a corrupt, neo-patrimonial system that marginalized the vast northern territories. This created a profound vacuum of legitimacy and deep resentment among Tuareg and other northern communities. This tinderbox was ignited by the fall of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, which led to an influx of battle-hardened Tuareg fighters and heavy weapons. The Malian government’s feeble response exposed its profound weakness, culminating in a pivotal coup in March 2012 by Captain Amadou Sanogo. This coup shattered the chain of command and became the immediate trigger for ECOWAS’s intervention.
Guided by its robust anti-coup protocols, ECOWAS swung into action, imposing sanctions and demanding a swift return to civilian rule. However, the crisis had already metastasized. The Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) secular rebellion was quickly hijacked by better-funded jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Ansar Dine, who imposed a harsh Salafist rule. Fearing a terrorist safe haven, ECOWAS backed a French-led military intervention, Operation Serval, in January 2013. The French force, with ECOWAS support, successfully pushed the jihadists from major urban centers. This was followed by the deployment of the UN mission, MINUSMA, in which ECOWAS troops were integrated. The 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement aimed to address northern grievances, but it was poorly implemented by a corrupt Bamako government. The root causes—systemic corruption and chronic marginalization—were never addressed, sowing the seeds for the next phase of the crisis.
The inevitable backlash arrived in 2020. Public patience with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (IBK), widely seen as corrupt and incapable, had evaporated. Mass protests filled the streets, and Colonel Assimi Goïta staged a coup in August 2020. ECOWAS responded by condemning the coup, suspending Mali, and demanding a rapid transition. When Goïta staged a second coup in May 2021, ECOWAS escalated its response, imposing harsh economic and financial sanctions. This strategy proved to be a catastrophic miscalculation. While the sanctions crippled the economy, the pain was felt most acutely by ordinary Malians, not the junta. The military government skillfully framed the sanctions as a neocolonial attack on Malian sovereignty, a potent nationalist rhetoric that resonated deeply with a population weary of foreign influence. Instead of capitulating, the junta dug in, its resolve strengthened by a wave of popular support that ECOWAS had inadvertently helped to create.
As its relationship with ECOWAS shattered, the junta executed a dramatic geopolitical pivot. It expelled French forces in 2022 and terminated the UN mission (MINUSMA) in 2023. To fill the void, it deepened its alliance with the Russian Wagner Group. The arrival of Wagner consolidated the junta’s authoritarian grip and provided it with a powerful, brutal military partner and a formidable external backer. This maneuver significantly eroded ECOWAS’s leverage. The bloc, facing internal divisions, found itself outmaneuvered. Its primary tool of coercion—sanctions—had backfired, and it had no viable military option or diplomatic carrot to counter Russia’s influence. The limits of ECOWAS’s power were laid bare.
The human cost of this political failure is immense. Jihadist violence has persisted and intensified, with inter-communal conflicts flourishing in the security vacuum. Over two million people remain displaced, and the country stands as a tragic epicenter of instability. Mali’s formal withdrawal from ECOWAS in 2024 is the bitter epitaph on this failed intervention. The Malian case serves as a critical lesson for regional conflict management. It demonstrates that enforcing democratic norms through top-down coercion is futile without simultaneously addressing the underlying drivers of conflict: governance deficits, economic despair, and social fragmentation. ECOWAS, while demonstrating normative commitment, ultimately lacked the effective leverage and nuanced strategies for a crisis of this complexity. To reclaim its role as a credible guarantor of stability, ECOWAS must evolve beyond simply punishing juntas. It must develop more sophisticated, preventive, and inclusive approaches that build legitimacy from the ground up and genuinely address the root causes of conflict. The future peace and security of West Africa depend on its ability to learn this arduous lesson.
Abdul Mahmoud Yayale, is a Graduate of international Relation from Maryam Abacha American University of Niger
October 23, 2025
20-Member Tunisian Delegation Arrives in Nigeria for Economic Forum
By Milcah Tanimu
A 20-member Tunisian delegation has arrived in Nigeria for the Nigeria-Tunisia Economic Forum, marking a significant step in enhancing economic collaboration between the two nations. Led by Anis Jaziri, president of the Tunisia Africa Business Council, the delegation was warmly welcomed by Tunisian ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Monday afternoon.
The Nigeria-Tunisia Economic Forum, which commenced on Tuesday and will run through Friday, aims to foster investment opportunities and strengthen bilateral economic ties. The forum is organized with the support of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. This event is expected to serve as a pivotal platform for exploring various sectors, including construction, information technology, health, trading, engineering, renewable energy, and pharmaceuticals.
Anis Jaziri emphasized the unprecedented nature of this visit, noting that such a large delegation from Tunisia, representing multiple sectors of its economy, is a rare occurrence. The delegation’s diverse expertise is anticipated to facilitate meaningful discussions and potential partnerships.
Ambassador Antit highlighted the strategic choice of Nigeria as the venue for this forum, citing the country’s status as Africa’s largest economy and the richest member state of ECOWAS. He underscored the importance of this forum in continuing the momentum from the first Financing Investment Trade Africa (FITA) forum, held in Tunisia in June, which saw participation from more than 35 Nigerian companies.
Antit also called for increased intra-African trade, expressing concern over the historical trend of African nations engaging more in trade with countries outside the continent. He emphasized the need for African countries to focus more on strengthening economic ties within the continent to drive growth and development.
The forum is expected to address key issues in bilateral trade, explore new investment opportunities, and enhance cooperation between Nigerian and Tunisian businesses. With various sectors represented, the forum is poised to be a significant event in fostering economic growth and collaboration between the two nations.
September 10, 2024
UNOCT, ECOWAS sign MoU on terrorism prevention in Region
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today on how to strengthen their partnership in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism in the region.
The MoU was signed by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, during a bilateral meeting at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.
The MoU is a framework for cooperation between both entities covering a five years on a range of security and counter-terrorism initiatives.
The MoU contains preventative efforts to counter terrorist travel, financing, access to weapons and misuse of information and communications technologies; border security and management; prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR), and the delivery of counter-terrorism training programmes in Africa.
The agreement also makes provisions for UNOCT support to ECOWAS and its Member States in the implementation of the ECOWAS 2020-2024 Action Plan on Eradicating Terrorism.
Under-Secretary-General Voronkov who welcomed the agreement noted that the comprehensive cooperation framework for the next 5 years.
Dr. Touray expressed ECOWAS commitment to collaborate with the UN through UNOCT to address the multifaceted dimensions of terrorism, including the root causes such as youth empowerment, the fight against human rights violations and other governance deficits.
The ECOWAS and UNOCT agreement will kick start a joint plan of action to put the agreement into practice, building on existing coordination platforms, with the AU-UN Technical Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and PCVE.
It will also explore opportunities to develop and undertake joint or collaborative activities with the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact.
September 23, 2023
ECOWAS, Germany promote feminist dev. trains stakeholders on reporting women peace, security agenda
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The ECOWAS Commission organized a three-day in-country capacity-building workshop for national stakeholders and focal people on monitoring and reporting Women, Peace and Security Agenda, WPS, in Abuja, Nigeria.
The 3 days workshop which held from September 19th to 21st, 2023 was organized by ECOWAS Commission’s Human Security and Civil Society Division and the GIZ ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operation (EPSAO) Project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The Minister for Women Affairs, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Barr. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye who was represented by Mrs. Funke Oladipo, Director of Women Development stated that since Nigeria’s domestication of UNSCR-1325 on Women, Peace and Security, the Ministry with key stakeholders had continued to implement initiatives identified in the second national Plan and is currently developing its third edition.
It has also sustained its support to women peace builders, and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in their demands for justice and pushing for women’s meaningful participation in peace building processes.
The Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, said the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on October 31, 2000, established the global agenda on women, peace, and security recognizing the disproportionate impact of violent conflict on women and girls, under-representation of women in formal peace processes and importance of mainstreaming a gender perspective in peace and security architecture.
According to Sintiki, the simplified Continental Results Framework (CRF) was developed to serve as a systematic tool for monitoring and reporting on the WPS agenda.
She further stated that ECOWAS has simplified the tool to make it user-friendly. According to her, the purpose of this training is to build the capacity of stakeholders to utilize the tool and provide the needed data and information to be used for advocacy and resource mobilization in West Africa,
The representative of the GIZ-EPSAO Project, Ms. Tamwakat Golit reiterated the organization’s commitment to assisting ECOWAS in achieving just and strong societies in the West African region through its Feminist Development Policy, which aims to eliminate structures that discriminate against women, girls, and the marginalized.
September 21, 2023
ECOWAS Commission, AfDB Jointly Review 2020- 2025 RISP
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The ECOWAS Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB), on Tuesday in Abuja began a joint consultation meeting on the mid-term performance reviews
of the Regional Integration Strategy Paper (RISP) for West Africa for 2020-2025.
The meeting, which began today, Tuesday, September 5th, will end on Friday, September 8, 2023.
In a statement made available to Daybreak today, the meeting will focus on a number of topics, including the challenges and prospects of regional integration in West Africa, the state of cooperation between the Commission and the Bank, the Bank’s strategic orientation and priority areas of intervention, and future priority projects between the two institutions.
Furthermore, interventions to be discussed include economic affairs, agriculture, human development and social affairs, infrastructure, energy and digitalization, political affairs, peace and security, transportation, energy, and information and communication technology.
Expected outcomes of the meeting is a report outlining the primary conclusion and recommendations of the Bank’s engagement with the Commission and it will be submitted to the leadership of both the Bank and the ECOWAS Commission.
September 5, 2023
Niger Junta Asserts Willingness to Defend, Rejects War Amid ECOWAS Tensions
By Daniel Edu
Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of the mutineers who seized control in Niger, conveyed on Saturday that his country’s intentions do not align with war, yet it remains prepared to safeguard itself if required.
Tchiani, as reported by Al Jazeera, stated, “Neither the armed forces nor the people of Niger desire conflict, but we are resolute in resisting any form of aggression.”
He highlighted that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member nations fail to realize Niger’s pivotal role in preventing regional destabilization in the face of escalating terrorist activities.
Tchiani underscored that the sanctions imposed by ECOWAS were designed to exert pressure on the insurgents and not to address the current crisis constructively.
Furthermore, Tchiani asserted that the rebel faction’s objective isn’t to seize power but rather to find a resolution that aligns with the people’s interests.
Over the weekend, reports indicated an ECOWAS delegation’s arrival in Niger’s capital for discussions with the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to assess his detention conditions. The delegation also engaged in talks with Tchiani, as reported by Reuters.
The coup, which occurred on July 26, led to the ousting and detainment of President Bazoum by his own guards, under the leadership of Tchiani.
Subsequent to the coup, ECOWAS suspended financial assistance to Niger, froze rebel-held assets, and enforced a ban on commercial flights to and from the country.
During an August summit in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby military force, potentially to compel the Nigerien military to reinstate Bazoum.
On Friday, Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, disclosed that ECOWAS chief military officers had agreed on a commencement date for military intervention, which they chose not to disclose publicly.
August 20, 2023
Niger Coup: 5 Possible Problems Nigeria May Suffer If ECOWAS Chooses Military Intervention
Authorities of the Economic Communities of West Africa (ECOWAS) have made a bold decision to militarily intervene in the Niger coup crisis to reinstate the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and restore the country’s democracy.
The West African leaders resolved to go this route at their emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday, August 10, 2023, following a series of unsuccessful diplomatic talks with the coup leaders.
Out of the 16 countries in West Africa, Niger has Mali and Burkina Faso as allies. Both countries have declared that any attempt by the ECOWAS to militarily intervene in the political crisis in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.
Interestingly, the junta headed by General Abdourahamane Tiani is ostensibly unperturbed by the ECOWAS threats and sanctions as the coup leaders on Thursday announced the formation of a new government.
If the ECOWAS eventually sends its troops to Niger, Nigeria will certainly have some problems to deal with.
Here are the five problems Nigeria will face if the Niger military leaders choose war over peace.
Refugee crises
Humanitarian crises are the first problems Nigeria will have to deal with if the impasse degenerates into a full-blown war.
Given its proximity to Niger, Nigeria will through its porous border receive large groups of refugees and displaced persons flooding into the country for safety.
Seven Nigerian states - Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno - will have these problems to contend with because of the several border communities they share with the Republic of Niger.
Casualties
History says there have been wars without casualties. But a war involving several countries with each of them deploying its tanks, boots and riffles will no doubt record civilian deaths.
It is on record that Nigeria lost at least 500 soldiers when it led the ECOMOG troops - the military arm of the ECOWAS - to Liberia in 1990.
Nigerian civilians resident in Liberia were equally affected by the war and according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, “We will never know the number of our civilians who lost their lives in the process of the Liberian conflict.”
Already, Italy and France have evacuated their citizens from Niger. It remains to be seen what the Nigerian Government would do for its citizens resident in Niger to avoid collateral damage should the war happens.
Arms proliferation
When a war ends, it leaves a trail of arms proliferation that conduces another crisis in a war-torn country and its next-door neighbours.
Years after the Libya war, Nigeria still struggles to contain the insurgency and banditry that developed as a result of the proliferation of arms smuggled into the country through the Niger and Chad borders.
Unfortunately, five of the seven Northwest states, where banditry is rife in Nigeria share borders with Niger.
What this means for Nigeria is that, if the war happens, banditry in the Northwest would disastrously intensify.
Increase in terrorists’ activities
Illegal possession of arms and weapons will automatically increase the rate of violent crimes in Nigeria.
Nigeria currently ranks 8th in the list of countries with the worst terrorism impact, no thanks to the rise in bandits and terrorist activities in the past few years.
With the looming war in Niger, the rate of violent crimes in Nigeria would increase exponentially if the government fails to secure the porous borders through which arms and weapons are smuggled into the country.
Economic impact
Local businesses in Nigerian states that share borders with Niger are already feeling the heat of the ECOWAS border closure sanction against the country.
Prices of food and other goods are on the rise as Nigerian business owners are reportedly taking advantage of the sanctions imposed on Niger.
In the last few days, a sack of 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of corn is said to have increased by 24%.
The situation would worsen and Nigerians in border communities would feel the heat more if diplomacy completely fails between the ECOWAS and the junta.
August 18, 2023
Niger Junta Threatens To Kill President Bazoum If ECOWAS Military Intervene
Niger’s junta has threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if neighbouring countries attempt any military intervention to reinstate him.
According to a report by The Associated Press on Thursday, two “Western officials” said the putschists issued the threat while speaking to a top U.S. diplomat.
This came shortly before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said it had directed the deployment of a “standby force” to restore democracy in Niger, after its deadline of Sunday to restore Bazoum’s government expired.
The threat to the deposed president raises the stakes both for ECOWAS and for the junta, which has shown its willingness to escalate its actions since it seized power on July 26.
Niger was seen as the last country in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert that Western nations could partner with to counter jihadi violence linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displaced millions of people.
The international community is scrambling to find a peaceful solution to the country’s leadership crisis.
The AP report disclosed that a Western military official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said representatives of the junta told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week.
A U.S. official reportedly confirmed that account, also speaking on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
The threats from both sides escalate tensions but hopefully nudge them closer to actually talking, said Aneliese Bernard, a former U.S. State Department official who specialised in African affairs and is now director of Strategic Stabilization Advisors, a risk advisory group.
“Still, this junta has escalated its moves so quickly that it’s possible they do something more extreme, as that has been their approach so far,” she cautioned.
Nine leaders from the 15-member West African bloc met Thursday in Abuja, to discuss their next steps.
Speaking after the talks, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, said he could only reaffirm the decisions by “the military authorities in the subregion to deploy a standby force of the community.”
Financing had been discussed and “appropriate measures have been taken,” he said.
He blamed the junta for any hardship caused by the sanctions imposed on Niger and said further actions by the bloc would be taken jointly.
“It is not one country against another country. The community has instruments to which all members have subscribed to,” he said.
A former British Army official who has worked in Nigeria told the AP the ECOWAS statement could be seen as the green light to begin assembling their forces with the ultimate aim of restoring constitutional order.
With regard to the use of force, the official, who was not authorised to speak to the media, said there was currently nothing in place other than Nigerian forces. Without enablers and the support of other regional armies, it’s unlikely they’d enter, the official said.
ECOWAS has imposed harsh economic and travel sanctions on Niger, but analysts say it may be running out of options as support fades for intervention. The bloc has failed to stem past coups in the region: Niger is the fourth of its member states to undergo a coup in the last three years.
August 11, 2023
ECOWAS Standby Force Deployed To Reinstate Constitutional Order in Niger
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has ordered its standby force to restore constitutional order in NIger Republic.
The President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray made the declaration while reading the resolution of ECOWAS on the Niger coup at the ECOWAS Extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
It also called on the African Union, AU, partner countries and institutions to support the resolution taken by the sub-regional body.
ECOWAS said all efforts made to dialogue with Niger Republic military junta have been defiantly rejected by coup leaders as they condemn continuous detention of President Mohamed Bazoum and his family members.
The resolution partly reads, “Direct the committee of the Chief of Defence Staff to activate the ECOWAS stand-by force with all its elements immediately.
“Order the deployment of the ECOWAS stand-by force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
“Underscore its continued commitment to the restoration of constitutional order through peaceful means.”
The details of any eventual military deployment by ECOWAS states and its impact on Niger were not immediately clear.
“All is not lost yet” for a “peaceful solution, as a roadmap to restore democracy and stability”, said Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who chaired the crisis meeting.
But he added: “No option is taken off the table, including the use of force as a last resort.
“If we don’t do it, no one else will do it for us.”
Before the closed-door talks, Tinubu had insisted that “we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach”.
Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara noted that the West African bloc “has intervened in the past, in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Gambia and Guinea-Bissau” when constitutional order in the countries was threatened.
“Today we have a similar situation in Niger, and I like to say that ECOWAS cannot accept this,” he said.
‘We must engage’
The 15-nation bloc is struggling to stem military takeovers that have now swept through four of its members in three years, potentially heralding fresh instability in a region struggling for years against jihadist insurgences.
Before the meeting, Tinubu acknowledged that “the seven-day ultimatum we issued during the first summit has not yielded the desired outcome”.
An attempt this week to send a joint team of ECOWAS, UN and African Union representatives to Niger’s capital Niamey was rejected by the coup leaders.
“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum,” he said.
But the coup leaders on Thursday signalled further defiance by appointing a new government.
A 21-member cabinet will be headed by Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a civilian, with generals from the new military governing council leading the defence and interior ministries.
The possibility of military intervention in Niger, a fragile nation that ranks among the world’s poorest, sparked debate within ECOWAS and warnings from neighbouring Algeria as well as Russia.
Niger’s neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, both ruled by military governments that seized power in coups, also warned an intervention would be a “declaration of war” on their countries.
August 10, 2023