In what appears a diplomatic volte-face, the Economic Community of West African States giving excuses for humanitarian concerns has lifted economic sanctions placed on Niger, Mali, and Burkina-Faso last year in a bid to make them restore democracy in the three countries.

The West African regional bloc made this announcement following long hours of deliberation by the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at an extraordinary summit on the region’s political, peace, and security situation held at the State House in Abuja. The extraordinary summit that retraced its step on the imposed sanctions was called to discuss the peace, political, and security situation in the sub-region.

Last year, ECOWAS placed a series of sanctions on the Niger Republic, Mali, Guinea, and Burkina-Faso after the military took over the democracy in their respective nations. The sanctions imposed on the countries affected their economies and intra-relationships within the region.

Frustrated by the indefinite sanctions, the junta-led nations announced in January their intention to withdraw their membership from the West African economic sub-regional bloc, criticizing ECOWAS’ decision as being rash.

Meanwhile, ECOWAS, through its president, Dr. Omar Touray, announced the regional body’s decision to suspend the sanction, which includes the opening of the land and air border to Niger as well as a no-fly zone for all commercial flights, should be executed with immediate effect, based on humanitarian reasons.

Along with unfreezing all of Niger’s assets at EBID, the bloc also lifted the ban on any financial transactions involving the bloc’s central bank and between ECOWAS states and Niger. ECOWAS also suspended the sanctions placed on the elections of Mali to the bloc including the travel ban placed on the members of the junta and their families.

While some financial and economic sanctions against Guinea and some targeted sanctions against Mali were lifted, Dr. Touray insisted that the targeted and political sanctions against the Niger Republic remain in place.

Before the announcement, President Bola Tinubu who is the chairman of the ECOWAS had appealed to the blocs and the junta-led nations to find a common ground to resolve the issue in the region.

President Tinubu further urged the exiting countries not to see the organization as enemy, but as a body that is concerned about the peace and security of the people in the continent and the region.

President Tinubu also stated that ECOWAS should reconsider its approach to restoring constitutional order in the affected countries, as he urged the three countries to reconsider their decisions before leaving the organization.

“We will deliberate on the announced withdrawal from ECOWAS by the Republics of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In the spirit of collective security and African solidarity, we realise that the stability of these nations is intricately linked to the overall peace and security of West Africa,” he said.

“As such, it is pertinent that we engage in constructive deliberations to examine the actions taken by these countries and ensure that the citizens are not denied the benefits derived from our regional integration initiatives. In our ensuing discussions, we must put the plight of people, the ordinary citizens, at the centre of our decisions.

“Democracy is nothing more than the political framework and the path to addressing the basic needs and aspirations of the people. This is why we must re-examine our current approach to the quest for constitutional order in four of our Member States. I, therefore, urge them to reconsider the decision of the three of them to exit their home and not to perceive our organisation as the enemy.”