The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened, in an extraordinary session in Abuja (Nigeria) on Saturday, to address the political and security situation in West Africa and decided to lift sanctions on Niger.
Niger, along with Burkina Faso and Mali, had recently announced the collective decision to withdraw from ECOWAS. The Pan-African organization had urged the troika to reconsider the withdrawal and prioritize dialogue, diplomacy and reconciliation to resolve disputes within the community, warning against the detrimental impact of leaving ECOWAS on the region and the said countries alike.
However, the organization had to impose a set of ensuing sanctions on the three countries as per ECOWAS rules and regulations.
The Saturday session, held under the chairmanship of Bola Ahmed TINUBU, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, decided to lift with immediate effect the principal sanctions such as the closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger; the institution of ECOWAS a no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger; the suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between ECOWAS Member States and Niger; and the freeze of all service transaction including utility services and electricity to Niger.
Other penalties that were cancelled include the freeze of Niger’s assets in ECOWAS Central Banks; the freeze of Niger’s and its state enterprises’ assets in commercial banks; the suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD; and the travel ban on government officials and their family members.