Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the pioneering President of the ECOWAS Commission and current African Union High Representative for ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa,’ has called on leaders of the West African bloc to lift sanctions imposed on Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic following recent military coups in these countries.
In a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday ahead of the ECOWAS Summit in Abuja, Chambas also urged the military leaders of the mentioned countries to reconsider their threat to withdraw from the sub-regional bloc. He emphasized the importance of heeding the recent call by former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), to end ongoing conflicts and unite the people in the region.
Chambas expressed his support for Gen. Gowon’s appeal for lifting sanctions and called on the three countries considering withdrawal to remain part of ECOWAS. He stressed the unity of ECOWAS member states in facing the challenges confronting the sub-region.
The former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel lauded the visionary role of Gen. Gowon in founding ECOWAS nearly 50 years ago. He emphasized the need to protect the legacy of the organization and called on other elders to join Gen. Gowon’s campaign to restore ECOWAS’ unity and shared purpose.
Chambas expressed confidence in ECOWAS under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and anticipated effective articulation of the conflicts during the Abuja summit to find sustainable solutions. He highlighted the diplomatic efforts being made by President Tinubu, in collaboration with ECOWAS President Dr. Omar Touré, to address the challenges and maintain the unity of the regional bloc.
