Ghana, a member of ECOWAS, has expressed its intention to deepen its cooperation with Mali and other countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, despite growing tensions between the two West African organizations.
“We intend to strengthen and deepen our cooperative relations [avec le Mali]but also we plan to extend this cooperation to all other member countries of the Alliance of Sahel States,” underlined Alfred Mahama, emissary of the newly elected president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, during his reception on January 2 by the Head of State of Mali, General Assimi Goïta.
John Dramani Mahama, who was President of Ghana from 2012 to 2017, won the Ghanaian presidential election on December 7, returning to power with the ambition to reform an economy hit hard by the crisis and to breathe new life into the diplomacy of this member country of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Quoted in a press release from the Malian presidency, envoy Alfred Mahama expressed Ghana’s commitment to working jointly with Mali and other members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to find “appropriate” solutions to the security challenges affecting the region.
The emissary went to Bamako, at the head of a Ghanaian delegation, to hand-deliver an official invitation to General Assimi Goïta to attend the inauguration ceremonies of the new Ghanaian president.
Media from both countries noted that the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama, scheduled for January 7 in Accra, was considered a step towards reducing tensions and strengthening ties between the AES and ECOWAS.
“Secular links between the peoples of Africa”
On December 15, the heads of state and government of ECOWAS endorsed the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from their community, at the same time setting a transitional period of six months which will begin on January 29, 2025, after which, at the end of July 2025, the exit of these three States from ECOWAS will be effective.
Previously, the leaders of the Sahel troika had declared that their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS was “irreversible”, in a context of growing tensions with this organization.
Despite their withdrawal and these tensions, the three AES countries abolished visas for nationals of ECOWAS countries, justifying their decision by the “secular ties between the peoples of Africa” and by the “spirit of brotherhood , solidarity and friendship.
Meeting in Niamey on July 6, the leaders of the three Sahelian countries approved the creation of the AES, decided on September 16, 2023, with a view to countering the influence of ECOWAS, an organization that they consider to be exploited by France.
Bamako, Ouagadougou and Niamey announced on January 28, 2024 their withdrawal from ECOWAS, explaining this decision by the interference of foreign powers, non-assistance in the fight against terrorism as well as the sanctions of this organization of which they were members.
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