ECOWAS Council of Ministers Deliberates in Accra on Relocation of Institutions Amid Sahel States’ Withdrawal.
By Caroline Ameh
The Council of Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened an Extraordinary Session in Accra on Wednesday to address the implications of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional bloc. The high-level meeting focused on contingency planning, including the possible relocation of ECOWAS institutions based in the departing countries.
Presiding over the session, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Council, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, expressed gratitude to the Government of Ghana for hosting the meeting and acknowledged the symbolic significance of the “ECOWAS at 50” celebrations, which were recently launched in Accra.
This was made known in a release signed by Alkasim Abdulkadir,Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“This gathering demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the advancement of our regional community and the fulfillment of ECOWAS’s core purpose,” Tuggar stated in his opening remarks.
The meeting follows a directive from the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, issued during its 66th Ordinary Session, mandating the Council to devise modalities for the disengagement of the three Sahelian nations. Key issues on the agenda include the suspension of ongoing programs, challenges to the free movement of people and goods, and institutional relocation logistics.
The ECOWAS Commission is expected to present detailed memoranda addressing these issues. Institutions currently headquartered in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger may be moved to alternative host countries to ensure operational continuity and regional stability.
In a candid reflection, Tuggar described the session as a “difficult moment” for the bloc, but stressed the need to honor the sovereignty of the withdrawing nations while reinforcing ECOWAS’s resilience.
“It was never our wish to deliberate on the withdrawal of member states,” he noted. “But we must adapt and chart a forward-looking path.”
Despite the political setback, the Council Chair urged fellow ministers to treat the moment as an opportunity for institutional renewal and deepened integration. He reiterated that ECOWAS remains Africa’s most integrated regional body, with shared policies promoting economic growth, peace, and security.
“Our unity has been tested before—and we emerged stronger. We will do so again,” he said.
Tuggar concluded by encouraging constructive dialogue and reaffirming the Council’s determination to protect ECOWAS’s legacy and role as West Africa’s foremost platform for regional cooperation.
“Membership, as the saying goes, has its privileges,” he added, subtly underscoring the value of remaining within the bloc.
